Rapid Expansion
by FireStorm00X
Summary: Hogwarts is disbanded for the safety of the students. For a year, Harry has to host three Wizard students. How will he get them to play muggle for an entire school year? SLASH HPDM, BZOC, BZRW
1. Hello house mates

Okay; this is sort of half-baked story, I don't know where it's going so it's going to be totally swayed by you the reviewers. Tell me what you want to see, I'll give it to you.

Summery: Hogwarts is disbanded for a year and Harry hosts three wizard students at Stonewall High in Little Whinging. Who comes over isn't who he expected and the year doesn't go as he hopes. How do you get wizards to act like muggles?

Pairings: Slash- DM/HP, BZ/many people, RW/OC

STORY:

_Dear Mr. Potter, _

_We are very sorry to inform you that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been disbanded for the year. Because of serious danger issues posed to the faculty and students this year we have decided to send the students to non-magic school. Mr. Potter you have been chosen to host three wizarding students in your home to which additional rooms will be magically added. Protection and transportation to Stonewall High where you and your three piers will be attending as Juniors this year has also been provided. A faculty member from Hogwarts School will also be placed in your new school for protection and assistance. Since you will be missing a year of magical education you will return for an extra year. However, we ask that you still take your year seriously and invest in this alternative education. The other students will be arriving 19 July at noon. You are responsible for your piers and their well being. Thank-you for your compliance and cooperation. _

_Deputy Head-Mistress_

_Minerva McGonagall_

Harry sat there, stunned, the letter in his hands continued to say the same thing. The words remained the same no matter how many times he read it. The 19th was tomorrow and his relatives would not be happy at all. What's more, Harry had no idea who was coming. It could be first years or Slytherins or seventh years or nerdy Ravenclaws he didn't know.

There were so many things that could go wrong.

So he stood and left his room, he turned to see a strange new door at the end of the hall. A sign on it read "Hogwarts Student Quarters" and it was made of black wood with the crest imprinted and a silver handle with four key holes. One of which had a key hanging from it and a small note attached. Harry walked over and read the note. "Mr. Potter's key to the Student Quarters. Room within, number 2", the attached tassel was red with a lion and a large H on it. Harry frowned and twisted the key in the lock, it clicked and the door opened to a small hall with three doors on either side. The first two on either side had a number and the last ones had words. One with "Wash Room" and the other with "Library and Study". The door to number 2 had a lock as well, which Harry rightly assumed matched the lock his key was in (the second one on the row).

His room looked just like his at Hogwarts except meant for one person. It was a deal larger than his room down the hall and very cozy with a fire and his trunk inside. A small bell marked "house-elf" sat on his bedside table with a packet of instructions and forms to be signed. Standing up Harry read through the packet once and took the forms. He left his room, locking the door behind him as well as the entrance, and walked down stairs to the kitchen where the Dursely's sat eating and reading the morning paper.

"What is it boy?" Vernon asked without so much as looking up.

Vernon Dursley was a large man with a thin mustache and almost no neck, yet that which he had was hidden beneath his girth. He was easy to anger and had small beady eyes like his son Dudley's. Dudley was now a deal lighter than before but only because of a crash diet he had been on, though he was still very large and very cruel to his cousin. Vernon's wife, Petunia, Harry's aunt, was a very skinny woman with a long neck used to crane over hedges and spy on neighbors. She was a horse faced woman with thin lips and short hair.

"My school got disbanded for the year," Harry said, he waited as Vernon's eyes widened to a horrified size before he continued. "They're sending three students here to live with us and go to Stonewall High with me."

"What!" Harry's uncle bellowed, standing up angrily. Dudley looked outraged while Petunia was silent in shock.

"Here," Harry held out the letter for his uncle.

It offered a convenient amount of money in exchange for his allowing them to stay for the year. Dursley read the letter over and put a hand to his chin and stroked for a moment in thought.

"Very well, they can stay. But they have to be quiet and cooperative and no freakish business, you understand?"

"Yes sir," Harry nodded. He turned to leave when, instead, there was a knock on the door.

"Go get it boy," Vernon waved him off and sat again to finish the paper. Harry walked down the hall and opened the door to see Snape standing on the porch looking very out of place and very out of character. He looked extremely muggle to be exact. He wore a pair of faded black jeans, a black shirt under a black trench-coat and black boots. Harry's eyes opened wide at the sight of his evil potions professor standing there in muggle attire with a black Porsche in the drive-way.

"P-P-Professor Snape?"

"Yes Potter, I'm the faculty member assigned to watch over you, and don't even comment on the clothes," Snape stepped inside and removed his jacket. For the first time, Harry saw some expanse of Snape's skin and it wasn't as yellow as it appeared in the dungeon light. Snape breathed and handed Harry's the coat, pure leather, and waited.

"Uhm, my relatives are in the kitchen eating breakfast. If you don't mind me asking...Why are you here?"

"There was an attack yesterday and we had to remove our students earlier than we thought. Your piers will be arriving in a matter of moments. I came to inform you and your relatives," Snape answered.

Harry shut the door and they walked down the hall into the kitchen.

"Uncle Vernon, Professor Snape is here," Harry walked in and stepped aside allowing for his semi-gothic but still very intimidating professor to enter. Vernon gulped audibly and watched the man move in.

"I am Severus Snape, the teacher sent to watch over your nephew and his school-mates this year. I'm here because a small incident forced us to relocate our students early and they'll be here very soon. Now,-"Snape was cut off by the sound of an eager knocking at the door; Harry left and opened it wide to reveal Ron standing there with a giant grin on his face.

Ron and Harry hugged and pulled Ron's trunk inside and went down the hall just as Snape was finishing explaining something. Vernon nodded compliantly and Petunia mirrored the action. Snape turned and nearly groaned at the sight; of course they'd send the Golden Boy his best friend. Any minute the know-it-all would appear and he'd be stuck with them and some hapless, random 12-year-old for the year. Dudley looked dead afraid of the boy with red-hair as he remembered his brothers. After a moment of quiet another knock, this one lazy and almost tired sounding.

Harry and Ron went down the hall and answered to see a Sixth Year Slytherin standing there. Blaise Zabini, with his long brown hair and large hazel eyes, looked utterly bored with the idea of going undercover as a muggle-student. He was in a pair of black pants with patches and rips as well as a shirt under a leather jacket and leather boots with metal buckles.

"Potter and Weasel? Goody, now the beaver will show and my year will be hell," Zabini looked disgusted as he dragged in his pair of trunks and stood up straight.

Snape saw the Slytherin and silently thanked Dumbledore for the boy; he was no Draco Malfoy, but he was clever, quick and pureblood Slytherin.

"Mr. Zabini, good to see you."

"Snape? At least they'll be-" he was cut of by a knock with the distinction of someone who believed they should never be made to knock on a door.

Harry opened it to see four trunks surrounding non other than Draco Malfoy who looked utterly put-out. Malfoy saw Harry and, apparently with great self-control, gave him a tight smile.

"Hello Potter, pleasant to see you," Malfoy's words were as forced as a baby during labor.

"Malfoy," Harry nodded in confusion. The Slytherin stepped in and his bags grew legs and followed him in, sitting down with the others there. Snape and Blaise both grinned at him, as much as Snape could grin that is.

"They removed me from my week in Aspen Blaise, can you believe it?" That was why Malfoy looked so upset, his vacation was interrupted.

"Oh, that's a wretch Draco, how was the time you got there?" The blonde perked up and walked to his fellow snake.

"Well, we went skiing and of course had to find the sauna after that, right? So while we were in there, Narcissa and I had martinis and we heard all the gossip from the ladies who were staying there with us. It turns out that Baron CeVuar de Sexua is getting married to some half-veela woman from Finland. Of course that sent mum into a complete tizzy since she fancied him for years while he thought himself gay," Malfoy and Blaise twined arms and both seemed rather interested in the story. Harry and Ron exchanged surprised and amused looks at the portion of Malfoy's story.

"Is Malfoy a poof or what?" Ron asked in a quiet voice. Harry stifled a laugh and the five people walked down the hall into the kitchen as Malfoy told the story of getting massages, facials, and manicures in Aspen as well as going to clubs and getting smashing drunk. In the kitchen Malfoy stopped and raised his eyebrows at the three muggles.

Dudley looked shocked to see such a person in the kitchen and his parents were very much the same. This boy, obviously raised to power and wealth, gorgeous and educated, was standing in their kitchen, in their presence and what's more, he was a wizard. Harry could see that Malfoy shattered their stereo-type or all wizards being dirt-poor ruffians without class or sophistication.

Malfoy, on the other hand, looked as if every superstition about muggles and every rumor and opinion he'd ever had of them was confirmed. Funny looking Neanderthal freaks who had no business sharing a room or planet with him.

"Who are all of you?" Petunia asked pleasantly.

"I'm Ron, you've met me before," Ron offered, trying to make the others more comfortable.

"We know," Vernon said in a bit of a growl.

"My name is Blaise Zabini," the brown haired snake said, giving them a strange look.

"Of Zabini International?" Vernon asked with interest.

"My uncle is co-founder and CEO, yes," Blaise answered.

"I do business with them, they deal in oil and mining after all, you need drills for oil and mining of course," Vernon put in proudly.

"I see," Blaise commented; he seemed almost scared he would be attacked.

"And you are?" Petunia seemed eager to meet the blonde.

"Draco Malfoy." He said as if his very name was god's gift to mankind.

"How pleasant to make your acquaintance." Petunia smiled sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes.

Snape noted this and placed a hand on his charge's shoulder. Malfoy turned his head to look at the elder man. Blaise and Malfoy still had their arms hooked together and Harry was still carrying Snape's coat. Ron was grinning at the prospect of getting to live with Harry again this year.

"I have a list of things for you boys, come, let's go to your quarters," Snape said, steering the Slytherins out towards the stairs.

The students followed him up to the door where Snape opened the door and led them inside.

"Wait, I locked the door when I left earlier," Harry said, looking between Snape and the door.

"Doesn't matter if I'm the one coming in, otherwise it's perfectly effective."

"Oh," Harry nodded, still confused.

Snape walked to the end of the hall and they entered the study room, which closely resembled a common room with books surrounding them. Blaise and Malfoy seated themselves on one couch while Ron and Harry sat on another and Snape sat in one of the chairs.

"Here is the list of both requirements and suggestions for things to do this summer and school year," Snape pulled out a single page of paper and set it on the table.

"So, by June we have to do all the required things on there?"

"Yes, by June. Anything happens or you have questions I am going to be around, and you can contact me with the fire." There was a slight lull in conversation then before Snape stood.

"I'm going to settle into my quarters, and don't worry Mr. Weasely, they're not here."

Malfoy and Blaise waved cheerily at him as he disappeared through the door leaving the four there. Harry looked between the three wizards, wondering what a disaster this year would be. After a moment of silence the list started to glow, offering itself to them. Harry reached out and picked it up.

"Requirement ONE: Get to know your group by asking POLITE and INOFFENSIVE questions. Please be aware that this is a monitored activity as are all those marked Requirements"

Harry sighed, and set the page down, the others looked as skeptical as he felt.

"I'll start," Ron offered, trying to help his friend.

_This is going to go really badly. _ Harry thought, looking at the Slytherins.


	2. Questions anyone?

YAY for all the reviewers! I'm really glad there's so much support for this story.

Read on to chapter 2:

"I'll start," Ron offered, trying to help his friend.

"Sure," Harry nodded, grateful.

"So, Zabini, have you and Malfoy been friends just since Hogwarts or longer?"

"We were raised together, womb to tomb," Blaise answered, crossing his legs and relaxing.

"What about you and Potter?"

"Just since First Year, we met on the Express," Ron said.

"Are you planning to become Aurors together?" Blaise asked.

"I'm going to go into Auror training, I don't know about Ron though."

"I may, I could also become a Medi-Wizard though. What about you and Malfoy?"

"I'm going into Medi-Wizard training and Draco is...what are you going to do Drake?"

"No idea, probably go A.W.O.L for a few years and then reemerge into the business scene as CEO of the Bad Faith Corporation," Malfoy shrugged.

"What's the Bad Faith Corporation?" Harry asked.

"Founded in 392 A. D. by Jaime Malfoy the second, originally a company that specialized in removal of dangerous magical creatures from wizard towns, it evolved into the single most powerful wizard-founded company in the world dealing in trade and relations between all forms of magic and non-magic persons or businesses," the blonde answered with a slight roll of his eyes. "I had to learn that when I was four."

"Why?"

"People were bound to ask what my family did for all our money, so Lucius wanted me to know that little summery." Malfoy shrugged again.

"Does your father run that company?"

"Gods no, my uncle does, Lucius' younger brother."

"You have uncles?"

"Of course, it's not like Malfoy's religiously restrict themselves to one child. It's common to see two or even three children on the family tree," Draco answered as if he was offended.

"What about you then? Do you have siblings?"

"Gods no, me?-siblings?"

"Then-"

"Look, Narcissa had one, me, it altered her figure, altered her wardrobe and restricted her habits and lifestyle. Why would she want to do that again?" Harry nodded and Ron did as well.

"How did your family manage with seven children?"

Ron raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "My dad always made just enough money to get by, and not all of us were ever in school at once, and Bill and Charlie and Percy all moved out and Fred and George will do that soon. It just sort of always managed to work."

"And Potter, I assume that larger youth downstairs was your cousin."

"Yes, that was Dudley, he's uhm...sort of a pain and a bully."

"So we'll bully him right back, laws of life Potter, don't stand down."

"That's a Malfoy law of life, a Zabini law of life is to back down when it's right but defend your ground when it's right," Blaise interjected.

"A Zabini's laws aren't nearly as brash and head strong as a Malfoy's," the blonde said with a smirk.

"Nor do Zabinis get involved in battle as often as Malfoys do," Blaise said in a know-it-all tone. Ron looked between them slowly.

"How did you two get to be such good friends?"

Blaise stopped and cast his eyes on Ron, almost suspiciously but in attempt not to be overtly so. "My mum, Victoria, is really good friends with Narcissa and they got pregnant at the same time, so they went through pregnancy together and all the little milestones. I was born about two weeks before Drake, and, when he was born, we ended up just sort of always being around each other. Same primary school, same youth Quidditch team, same hobbies."

"We think very much alike, though we are different in our morals and reasoning. It's like how twins always seem to know what the other is thinking, Blaise and I are like that as well," Malfoy put in. Ron nodded.

"Are you and Golden-Boy like that?"

"Don't call me that," Harry said with a frown.

"Why not?"

"I hate being the savior, it's stupid and it's not me," Harry said, crossing his arms in defiance.

Malfoy smirked. "The pawn has revolted and Dumbledore shall tremble in the fury of the used."

"Why are you so happy?"

"Don't you see? If you flip off Dumbledore and go anti-savior, it saves me from having to join the fucking Death Bingers and deliver you to the physco nymphomaniac. But, if you stop, I don't have to start. Neither does Blaise."

"You're talking as if you never wanted to be one." Ron said.

"Why would I want to mar my gorgeous skin with that ugly mark and kiss up to some nutter who got his ass kicked by a baby, and a Gryffindor at that?" Malfoy said in humor.

"So...what about your father?"

"Lucius can rant and rave as much as he wants, but it doesn't matter, I'm not joining," Draco said defiantly.

"Yes, Draco's never been much of one for cults."

"I am so in a cult."

"A fashion cult which is really just a knitting circle for rich people who want to talk about clothes all day."

"Knitting circles are for women," Malfoy corrected him.

"Oh, I know," Blaise said, smirking evilly.

"You mean little bugger, now I have to go rip out my heart and die on the floor," Malfoy stood and began to walk away.

"You are such a drama queen." Blaise called over the couch back. "Probably so, I feel kind of dirty from the flooing and the man handling. I'm going to shower and change, have some food ready for me," Malfoy left then. Blaise smirked and turned to the Gryffindors.

"He's never like that at school," Ron said.

"Yes he is, just never around you. It's why everyone likes him so much, he's got a good sense of humor and he's cute to boot," Zabini retorted.

"You think Malfoy is cute?"

"Everyone does, it's so obvious that, even though Potter has a fan-club, Draco's got the devotion of all the girls and, to be honest, a large number of the boys," Blaise said.

"It's strange to think people see him as anything other than a git."

"Well he is that too, it's just his pride really. People don't really pay attention to what he does, just how he looks."

"That must be annoying," Harry said.

"It is. He isn't a big fan of shallow women hurling themselves at him. Drake's got a lot to do before he graduates and what's more, he's got a lot to avoid."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he has to get at least betrothed to someone, but he has to avoid getting engaged to some ditzy thing from America, her name's like Samora and he despises the very thought of her. He' got to get good grades, but he has to avoid showing it off, it'll give women another excuse to throw themselves at him."

Ron nodded.

A moment later Malfoy bounded back into the room looking a deal cleaner. He seated himself next to Blaise and let out a gasp as if he'd just remembered something pivotal to the continuation of life.

"Guess what I found out?" Malfoy turned to Blaise.

"What?" Blaise responded with interest.

Malfoy rung the bell for the house-elf and ordered it bring two mugs of Irish coffee and a pack of Magic Black cigarettes. Malfoy flipped some white hair from his face as they waited the four seconds for the items to arrive.

"You remember how I went to lunch with Fluer during the shopping blitz in Paris, right?" Blaise nodded, "Who cannot have lunch with that girl while in Paris? Anyway, you remember Juan Cortez, right?" Blaise nodded again, "I found out that she and he are going together."

"What?" Blaise looked stunned.

"Of course I asked for how long, and it turns out they've been going for a month," Malfoy raised his eyebrows to emphasize as he lit a cigarette and inhaled.

"But he was-"

"All over Raj at her party a week ago? I know," Malfoy nodded, "So I told her, right? Turns out she hadn't had any idea, she walked right into the café, called him through the fire and dumped him in front of everyone. She screamed in at least four languages including the French dialect of Veela. Then we went over to a vintage spell-book shop, found a book of beauty charms with a shrinking spells mostly used for blemishes, and cast it with a transfer charm and you can guess what we shrank."

Blaise let out a small laugh and sipped his coffee. Malfoy smirked as well and made himself comfortable with his back against the arm of the couch. "While we were leaving, very smugly mind you, we ran into Helena Fudge and went to that club on 76th, Wild, it was loads of fun, especially since Fluer got smashing drunk and took home a girl," Malfoy smirked again.

Blaise allowed another small laugh before he stole Malfoy's cigarette and took a drag.

"What an interesting vacation Draco." Blaise smiled at his friend.

"It was."

_What an interesting change in the Slytherin Prince._ Harry though as he glanced over at Ron, who had a similar expression on his face.

YAY! review please, thanks for the support for the story!


	3. UhmChapter 3?

Blaise allowed another small laugh before he stole Malfoy's cigarette and took a drag. "So France was fun?"

"Fairly, there was a load of drama involved too, Mum finding out her old flame was engaged, Mrs. Fudge found out Helena was a lesbian, Samora showed up in Alsac at random in cafés and pubs, I got in a scuffle with a bartender and hit the polo ball at the European Chief of Wizard-Muggle Activity Interaction. You know I have terrible aim on horseback, I jump, I do not play polo," Malfoy shrugged.

"Who's the current Chiefo?"

"Bradley Hills II, stuffy old man, George's nephew," Malfoy responded without missing a beat.

"George Hills or George Rocken?"

"Hills of course, Rocken's nephew is a gay artist in New York."

"I thought that was Gregorio Relaz's nephew."

"No, Relaz only has nieces and two at that who ran off and became porn stars in Hollywood."

"That was Bethany and Ilene, right?"

"Yes, the twin girls."

Harry found his mind mugged by the onslaught of names, so he shook his head to clear it of the information and looked again between the two snakes. "What a very gay Slytherin Prince of Ice and rumored Sex God." Harry thought to himself, and yet he didn't seem to mind very much, something just sort of fit.

Ron made a small noise which drew Harry's attention from the flamboyant snake.

"What?"

"I'm a little bored Harry. Want to play Exploding Snap?" Ron offered as a box of cards appeared.

Blaise glanced over at them and smirked, Malfoy stopped talking and looked over as well. The two Slytherins gave each other a knowing look and Malfoy stood from the couch and put out his light.

"It's what, 10?"

"There about," Blaise looked over at the ornate grandfather clock near the door.

"I'm in the mood for music," Malfoy yawned.

"What sort of music do you listen to?" Ron asked, looking up with interest.

"What do we listen to Blaise?"

"Everything really, well everything good. Metal, rock, punk, reggae, jazz, emo rock to an extent," Blaise answered.

"Have you heard of Nox Abyss? They're reggae, punk rock wizard band from Italy." Ron asked.

"Of course, they circulate mostly in the underground right now, but once the WWN starts playing better music they'll become more popular." Blaise responded.

Harry, being utterly confused was about to tune them out.

"Did you hear Queen Ann's Revenge from Flogging Molly? It's one of their best yet," Malfoy commented.

"Flogging Molly? They're a muggle band from Ireland."

"No, they're a cross band, but they are from Ireland. They released in the wizard world first and then went muggle."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Are there any other bands like that?"

"Hundreds. Tool, Slipknot, Dropkick Murphys, My Chemical Romance, Metallica," Malfoy listed them off. "U2, White Snake, Billy Idol, Queen."

"Sex Pistols, Beatles, GWAR, the Cure, the Clash, the Used." Blaise added.

"Hundreds, like I said," Malfoy interrupted before his friend could continue.

"Wow, hey, my cousin has a U2 CD, you want a listen?"

Malfoy perked up but relaxed again. "Actually, I've got my Wipod with me somewhere, so we can hook it up and listen,"

"Wipod?"

"Wizard version of that muggle iPod thing. Runs off magic and holds an infinite number of songs, all you have to do is give it the name of the song and the artist and it gets it. Like wizards would get the complater things," Malfoy smirked.

"You have one of those? They're still around a hundred and fifty galleons," Ron looked a bit upset.

"That's not much," Harry said. "iPod's are around that in American dollars."

"Aye, but the galleon is worth five pounds, and what's more, the pound is worth nearly two American dollars, so you can guess how much a Wipod is in American muggle money." Malfoy said. He left but returned quickly with a small thing, the size of an iPod but vibrant fuscia in color with a brilliant white snake curling on the back.

"That's a Wipod?"

"Yes, it is," Malfoy placed it on the bookshelf and a song started to play as though through a stereo. It was Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

"I love this song," Harry said from his place on the couch.

"Who can't? Freddy Mercury for Minister of Magic," Malfoy said as he moved towards the couch seating Blaise.

Ron and Harry smiled and then caught themselves. Malfoy saying something amusing? Impossible. The song changed dramatically into a heavy rock song which pulled the three wizard raised boys to their feet and they jumped into action, singing along and head banging. Harry had had no idea Ron even listened to that sort of music, much less head banged.

The song, however, by the Sex Pistols and the second Harry recognized it, he joined them until the song ended. Right behind it began an onslaught of Led Zepplin, ACDC, Ramones, Def Leopard and Sex Pistols.

Malfoy flung himself onto the couch and breathed for a moment, his hair fell to complete complacency whilst all three other boys were left much in disarray. The clock thundered noon over the sounds of Bob Marley.

"Excuse me? Boys?" A voice sounded around them, it was Petunia.

"What is it?" Harry called back, assuming she could hear him.

"Oh my," she seemed rather surprised. "Well, Vernon and I are going to lunch with one of his friends and we're leaving Dudley here, Piers and Malcolm are coming over in a few minutes. Be nice and uhm, help yourself to lunch."

"Thank you," all four boys called to her. After a moment they heard the door close to signal the elders leaving.

"So, do you all want lunch?" Harry asked them in the small silence.

"I could go for a salad and perhaps a nice bowl of stew," Malfoy said, rising from the couch.

"It'll probably be cheap vegetable sandwiches on dry white bread," Harry said, he stood and stretched shortly.

"It's so obvious you were raised muggle," Malfoy said, rolling his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"We have a house elf to cook for us."

"Is there one to help you get dressed? Or six maybe?" Blaise asked the blonde.

"I have not required six house elves since…well since Raj's party," Malfoy retorted.

Blaise only nodded, acknowledging his proven point.

"Dipsy," Malfoy called the small elf wearing a faded and torn Gryffindor pillow case.

"Yes Master?"

"We'd like lunch served in the kitchen in about a half hour. I'll have a small Caesar salad with light vinaigrette on the side and a half bowl of Persian crab stew. To drink I'll have spring water," Malfoy instructed.

"I'll have an Italian vegetarian sandwich with the zesty sauce," Blaise put in, "as well as a bottle of butterbeer."

"Yes Masters. Is you wanting something as well?" the long faced creature asked Ron.

"I'll just have some shredded steak over potatoes, and can I have some green beans as well? I'll drink butterbeer too, thanks," Ron said, a little nervous.

"Yes sir, and you Master?"

Harry paused for a moment, he was rather hungry. "I'll take a baked potatoes and a little bowl of clam chowder with the crackers. Plus some butterbeer."

"Yes Master," with a pop the creature was gone and the boys were left sitting in the room again.

"I'm going to change from my travel cloak, I'll meet you three downstairs," Blaise stood and moved to leave. "Do you have your blue sweater with you Draco?"

"Always."

"I'm borrowing it, okay?"

"Sure, try to be careful with it though, I haven't renewed the charms on it in a while so it's getting a little cheeky."

Blaise waved over his shoulder and left the room. Malfoy sighed audibly and checked out the room for a moment. "What's your plan for the year Potter?"

"What do you mean?"

"How in hell are you going to get three wizard born and bred boys to play Muggle for a full year?"

"Threats, intimidation and favors if I have to," Harry answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Malfoy and Ron raised their eyebrows but made no immediate comment.


	4. Daily Prophet Article

"Threats, intimidation and favors if I have to," Harry answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Malfoy and Ron raised their eyebrows but made no immediate comment. "What's Stonewall High like anyway?"

"I'm not sure, I was supposed to go the year I went to Hogwarts instead," Harry shrugged. "The uniform has been revoked since I was supposed to go, so you won't have to wear the gray thing I was going to."

"Gray? A Malfoy's only gray things are his eyes, his silver and his castle walls," the blonde said in a superior voice.

"What about-"

"It's an expression Weasley, we have more gray things than just that, like all our ancient stone tablets and steel things and iron things and urns, all sorts of things."

"You have all sorts of everything Malfoy, you're just too rich." Ron said.

"There is no 'too rich', there's just too shopy," Malfoy responded.

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes and realized they should go downstairs for lunch. At the table sat their dishes, ready for the meal, as well as Piers, Malcolm and Dudley eating rice cakes from the bag and drinking sodas. They glared furiously at Harry but gave Ron and Malfoy stranger looks.

"Who are you?" Piers asked, looking at the blonde and red-head.

"I'm Ron, Ron Weasley."

"I'll have you know that you will not refer to me in the same way you refer to Weasley. I am Draco Malfoy, and no friend of yours," he gave them a hard glare and seated himself.

"Don't be a prat Malfoy, they're just stupid muggle boys," Blaise entered the room, sporting a gorgeous navy sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and a pair of sleet gray slacks to match. Blaise looked every bit as Slytherin as he did at school.

"Well don't let them near me, I don't want to be soiled by them," Malfoy flipped his blonde hair from his eyes and sneered at them.

"They can't soil you Draco, your too pure blooded, you'd have to marry one to do anything like that," Blaise said, he seated himself next to his friend.

Harry and Ron both sat down as well, disagreeing with the conversation topic, since Hermione was still their good friend. Harry looked down as his food appeared on his plate, luckily Piers and Malcolm were distracted by Dudley. The front door opened and a moment later Snape appeared in the kitchen door. He seated himself next to the blonde and sneered at Harry. "Leave," he instructed the three Muggle boys, they jumped up and left the room immediately. "Dipsy, bring me an Antipasto salad, with blue cheese and some Odgen's," Snape spoke to the small elf that had appeared with the tray of drinks.

"Yes Master," it set down the tray and popped away, only to reappear a second later with his food.

"Why are you here sir?"

"I came to see how you four were getting along, as well as to deliver your materials for the school year," Snape nodded over towards the door.

"You visit me, and you bring work?" Malfoy gave him an annoyed look.

"Yes, and it's for your own good," Snape answered, he then took a bite of his salad.

Malfoy shot him another look and dipped his spoon into his crab stew which smelt amazing in Harry's opinion, but the blonde continued his meal without really noticing Harry or anyone else.

A tapping caught the attention of the group and they looked up to see Hedwig tapping on the glass door and carrying three or four letters as well as a copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry stood quickly and opened the door to let her in, Hedwig swooped over and landed on the table. Harry took the letters and set the newspaper aside. Ron offered the owl a slice of steak which she took gladly as well as a sip of Harry's soup and butterbeer before she took off upstairs to her cage.

"Who are the letters from Harry?" Ron asked.

"Hermione sent us each a letter," Harry handed one to Ron, "there's one for Snape from Dumbledore, and one from Lupin for me." Harry said as he gave Snape his letter and as Blaise stole the Prophet and opened it up.

"Look, the cover story is Fluer's break-up," Blaise pointed. There were two pictures, one of a Spanish boy dancing very close to a black haired girl coated in glitter and one of Fluer Delecuer and Malfoy sitting at a café, Fluer looking enraged and, in the picture, she continually started a screaming fit and ran inside, Malfoy sitting at the table sipping coffee.

"What does it say?" Malfoy asked, glancing over at it.

" 'Delecuer Disaster, Veela's heart broken break-up with Spanish sex-pot, On 14 July of this year, Raj Elihan's famous midsummer party was held on Crete. The party boasted such guests as Helena Fudge, Dorian Illix and Draco Malfoy, as well as drinks to spare. Here it happened that Juan Cortez, month long boyfriend to the famous and gorgeous Fluer Delecuer (17, Bexubuton Academy) was seen dancing with the hostess Ms. Elihan. Multiple eye-witness accounts retell the night of dancing, snogging and overall lecherous behavior performed by the pair. Mr. Cortez, the son of a well known Spanish Medi-wizard, and Ms. Elihan, the daughter of the Minister of Magic in India, were not available for comment on the incident after the party or the break-up. Ms. Delecuer had been unable to attend the mid-summer party because of her commitment to the Solstice Ball next week. She found out about the affair over lunch with the Malfoy heir in Paris. According to Mr. Malfoy "Fluer has never had such a thing happen to her and I personally am disappointed in the entire fiasco. Juan Cortez has no idea about what is coming to him for this." In the famous Malfoy style of protecting their own, as the two are cousins, it was reported that the pair entered a spell shop and exited having purchased The Book of Beauty Spells and soon performed an unknown charm. Later that day it was reported the Mr. Cortez found his family jewels shrunken to approximately the size of a Sickle and was admitted to Sualiano Magic Hospital to have the spell reversed and to recover from shock. That night Ms. Delecuer was seen leaving the Paris club Wild with another young woman while Helena Fudge, a close friend of the two, also left with a young woman but the Malfoy heir went back to his Paris Manor unaccompanied. See Page Seven for the gossip column with speculation on the heir's love life.' How very interesting Draco, you went home alone," Blaise said, turning to page seven.

"You really expected I would find anyone of interest at Wild?"

"Not really," Blaise shrugged and began his search for the gossip.

"How many times have you been chastised for ending up on the cover of the Prophet?" Snape asked.

"Only Narcissa ever chides me for it, and that's only because she thinks I never look perfect enough," Malfoy responded.

"Oh wow," Blaise's eyes widened to seemingly impossible sizes.

"What?" the table asked. Blaise folded the Prophet and moved it away from the suspicious looking Malfoy heir.

"Draco, I know how you're supposed to stay single since you're engaged to be engaged and everything, I don't agree with the Prophet at all, let me tell you that," Blaise leaned away.

"What did it say Blaise?"

"Nothing really interesting, nothing really at all, just a snippet, a sentence maybe," the Slytherin shook his head.

"Give it here."

"No need to see it Drake, no need at all, nothing to worry about."

"If you don't give it here, I'll do something very un-Malfoy and tackle you."

"Now Draco, I know-" Malfoy leapt up, tackled his friend and got the paper. It ended out that the blonde was straddling the nervous Zambini when he flipped open the paper.

Harry quirked an eyebrow and listened intently to Zambini babbling about what liars they were.

Malfoy began to read it and looked shocked. "They think I'm gay?" Snape's jaw dropped and both Ron and Harry's eyebrows shot up. Blaise cringed.

"They think I have a secret lover?" Snape's eyes bulged and both Gryffindors dropped their jaws, Blaise only cringed again.

"They think I'm sleeping with Dorian Illix? Where did they get that picture!" Malfoy screamed. Harry could see the picture, it was Malfoy and an attractive boy with long black hair walking with shopping bags and their arms linked.

Harry knew Ron could see it as well and looked over at him, both he and Snape had very similar shocked and estranged expressions. Blaise only cringed again, meaning it could only get worse.

"They're promising a full two-page article tomorrow?" Malfoy dropped the paper to the side and stood up, he blinked a few times and steadied himself against the counter.

Ron picked up the paper and put it between himself and Harry so they could read it through.

"Malfoy Heir's Secrets Revealed: We at the Daily Prophet have recently come across a great deal of evidence that young Draco Malfoy (16, Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry) is gay. It is believed that he returned home from Wild on the night of 15 July alone because he had a secret lover waiting for him at his family's Paris Manor. We have it on several accounts that he and Dorian Illix (16, Sparta School for Magic) are having a lust-filled and love-filled affair. The picture on left shows the two in Munich after a shopping spree before they went to Crete for Raj Elihan's mid-summer party. Full two page article in tomorrow's paper."

Harry looked up to see Malfoy paler than ever, Blaise had stood up and had a hand on Malfoy's shoulder.

"It's all right, I know you're not having a love affair with Dorian," Blaise said.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he straightened himself. "We'll see about this, come on Blaise, I need you to think up a proper threat."

Snape shook his head as he read the snippet over Harry's shoulder. "Try not to kill anyone Draco," he said as the two moved to leave.

"I can't promise you anything, I'm on a revenge mission."

The Slytherins left and they heard a slam above them.


	5. Stonewall Precursor

Here it is:

Chapter 5!

A look passed between the three wizards remaining, in a second all three had jumped up and run to the stairs, bounding up after the pair. At the door to their quarters they found it locked tight and not even Snape could open it. After a moment the blonde appeared at the door looking very calm.

"Potter, let me borrow your bird-thing," he demanded, holding out his hand.

"Why?"

"I have a letter to be delivered to the Prophet headquarters. That's why," Malfoy said, holding a simple white envelope.

Harry looked at Snape who gave his student a suspicious look but allowed Harry to retrieve Hedwig. "Here, be nice to her, okay?"

"Sure." Malfoy attached the letter and petted Hedwig before letting her off with the recipient of the letter.

Hedwig hooted nicely at Malfoy and flew off with five pairs of eyes following her, three of which were nervous about the contents of that letter. As Hedwig left Pig flew in, it landed nearby and stuck out its leg. Ron reached out and grabbed the excitable bird from its place, he took off the letter and let the bird fly and squeak around his head.

"It's a letter from my Mum, she sends her love Harry and wants us to have a good year. She promises to write every week and send gifts over the holidays," Ron summed up as he closed the letter.

Snape look at the boys and turned to leave. "I've got to finish moving in. See you four in September or sooner."

Snape's voice made Harry cringe slightly, knowing they're probably see him within a few days, perhaps even tomorrow if the article was run. Malfoy could have a coronary and run off to save his image in the public spot-light. Blaise would go with him and, most likely, the two would hex several people and cause a major riot or small war.

Snape left the four boys where they were, at the end of the hall and disappeared through the front door. Malfoy sneered at his back and then turned his back to Harry and Ron.

"I expect to have a reply by tomorrow, if there isn't one, the Prophet will be in deep, deep shit," the blonde said as he walked down the hall to room 4, across from Harry.

Harry let out a sigh and walked down into his room, glancing back to see Blaise and Ron looking at each other awkwardly.

_How will this ever work?_ Harry thought to himself and entered his room, he flung himself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Potter?"

"What is it Zabini?"

"Tell me about Stonewall High, about muggle life," the brown haired Slytherin entered slowly and seated himself on the chair at the desk. He made himself comfortable and look prepared to listen.

"I don't really know much about Stonewall High, I've walked by it a few times. It's a big building made of gray brick, with wall surrounding the campus. There's a separate music building and a big gym and track near the back of the campus. I know at least one person there, Shawn, we went to school together a long time ago. He and I worked together during lab periods in Science back in secondary and primary school. I'm not really a good source for information on normal muggle life, I didn't have, not just because of magic, but because of my relatives." Harry saw Ron enter and pause to look between them, Ron then walked over and sat with his back to the desk so he could listen too. "In secondary school, we had music class and gym and different subjects to cover during the day. Science, English, arithmetic, geography, history, that sort of thing. And there was homework, it's not difficult though. There were dances about every month, I never went though. There were always elections for the heads of class, life prefects or Head-boy and girl, but student chosen." Harry looked up and saw Malfoy standing in the doorway with a curious expression on his alabaster features. "Muggle life, well, it's complicated, you have to earn money and pay electricity bills, water bills, mortgages, that sort of thing. You don't have magic or servants like house-elves to do everything, its down to your own two hands and nothing more. If you can't handle it all, you don't have a charm or spell to do it for you. You work and toil and sweat and get burned, yeah that too, but if you can handle it, most of the time it gets easier after a while, either because it's routine, or because you've gotten stronger and can handle it more easily. Things can't be cured and people can't be saved, sometimes you have to rely on yourself, not your wand."

"Sounds a bit dark and unfulfilling," Blaise raised his eyebrows.

"If you were raised with it, it is fulfilling, it's as far as you'll ever get, so you're happy with it." Harry shrugged.

"I think-" Malfoy paused and let out a breath. "I think you should start teaching us about being a muggle. It's going to take some work."

"I guess."

YAY for a short Chapter 5!

Sorry, I'll get on writing this beast! XOXO review for me!


	6. Little Whinging Shopping Centre

HOORAH! new chapter! yay! xoxo-FireStorm

Three days later Ron and Blaise had muggle slang terms down okay but Malfoy was beating them both. He'd taken to saying "whore" as often as he could. As well as "shite" and "fuck" all which weren't really English curses, more Americanisms than anything else.

Malfoy wasn't taking to muggle technology like Ron or Blaise though. The toaster still bothered him and he'd convinced himself the microwave was meant to obliterate things since he'd seen Blaise accidentally explode a marshmallow. Harry sat on the island in the centre of the kitchen watching the three boys trying to figure out a simple game of Go Fish.

"Okay, Blaise, have any fours?" Ron asked.

Blaise paused to shuffle through his cards. "No."

"You better fucking have some fours." They though having to Go Fish was some sort of punishment which doomed you to loose the game and thus refused to do so.

"Here, why don't you just cross out two the ones on this card?" Blaise handed him a six.

"Can't do that." Draco said and shook his head. "You can only add them. Here," Draco leant across, pulled a three from Blaise's hand and gave it to Ron. "Draw one in."

Ron picked up a pen, which he'd learnt to use, and doodles in another heart. They'd done this to every card so far. The deck now contained six tens, five fours no aces and a multitude of sevens. The Kings were made females, the Jacks into Kings and at least one Queen was made into a three. Harry massaged his temple and looked at them, he'd never expected to see such a twisted sight in his life.

"You still don't get it. All you have to do is pick one up from the deck, it might even help you. Adding in symbols won't help either." Harry said.

"I give up," Blaise set down his cards and stuck out his tongue.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Draco set his cards down as well.

"We have to learn to fit in wit muggles right?" Ron got a confused look on his face.

Harry laughed and nodded, "that's the idea Ron."

"How come we've not spent time with actual muggles? I don't count your relatives as proper muggles either," Draco said.

"I don't know, I suppose I wanted to give you some sort of basic knowledge before we went out to a populated area."

"It's nearly five, why don't we go out to a muggle place, do something muggle and get dinner?" Blaise suggested, taking a drag on a cigarette he just lit.

"That sounds fun, Harry, please?" Ron gave his friend a pleading look.

"Don't wet yourself with excitement Weasely," Draco rolled his eyes.

"Shut it Mal-ferret," Ron snapped back. Immediately Blaise stiffened, ready to restrain his Slytherin brother. Harry shifted so he could grab Ron if needed.

Malfoy just sneered at him and directed his attention to Harry. "Why don't we go?"

Harry thought over where they could go and decided the mall would be good, it wasn't too far and they all had a money allowance from Snape they could use. "All right, we'll leave in twenty minutes for the mall."

The four boys went upstairs and into their individual rooms. Harry glanced over his shoulder and saw Malfoy's room was all black and white, impersonal and spotless. He thought it weird since he and Ron had very cozy, humane rooms that were now decorated in personal effects. Entering his room Harry chose out some jeans and a navy t-shirt, he pulled on his trainers and attempted to style his hair a little. Walking back out he saw Ron was ready in a pair of black pants and a red sweater, his friend shrugged and lent against his door. Blaise and Draco came out at the same time. Zabini had black trousers on and a suit jacket over a white shirt with a picture of Jim Morrison on it. Malfoy was in dark jeans and a long sleeved black shirt and a pair of motorcycle boots.

"Are we walking to the-what was it called?" Blaise asked.

"It's a mall, and yes we're walking there. It's only a quarter mile or so," Harry led them downstairs and out the front door. Malfoy came up to walk beside him and Ron ended up walking beside Blaise.

"What is a mall?" Malfoy asked, his eyes looking at the houses they passed.

"It's just a big group of stores all kept in the same big building, there's a food court and sometimes shops with stuff other than clothes and shoes. Like, at Little Whinging Shopping Centre, which is where we're going, there are stores where you can buy books and toys too."

"Oh, like Diagon Alley all in one building?"

"Yes, but non-magic," Harry nodded. Malfoy gasped as a white cat darted in front of them, he breathed out and got poked by Blaise.

"It startled me, okay?" Malfoy rested a hand on his chest and continued forward.

"It was cat, what was so startling about that?" Blaise made fun.

"You remember that loopy white cat that used to live at the gates to the Manor in Wilshire? It attacked me when I was two, which you were there for, so I don't like white cats," Malfoy said looking over his shoulder at Blaise.

"That cat did not attack you, you threw a rock at it, hit it in the head and it made a dash for the other side of the road and you got in front of it. All it did was knock you over and keep going," Blaise said, rolling his eyes.

"You make me sounds like a bastard child, Blaise, I did no such thing," Draco shook his head.

"Yes you did!" Blaise let out a laugh and nodded.

"Who cares?" Ron gave them a weird look.

There was a silence. Harry hadn't thought there was anything particularly negative about the moment prior, but Ron had injected some bad energy into it.

"Look, there it is," Harry pointed at the large building as they turned the corner and began across the parking lot.

As they reached the entrance a group of gothic looking teens sneered at them. Malfoy curled his upper lip and turned distinctly away from them and walked up the steps to the mall.

"Poser!" one of the girls called out after him. The Slytherin refused to acknowledge them and walked through the door Harry was holding open for him. Harry saw the group start talking and then shift as though getting ready to move. This made him slightly nervous but he closed the door and went after the three purebloods standing the courtyard of the mall.

"I officially like this place," Blaise said, craning his neck to see the store names.

"Look, let's go there first," Malfoy pointed to a store called Studded Emeralds.

The lights were purple and illuminated shelves with dark clothes and accessories. The four boys walked in and the girl behind the counter looked up at them and nodded a hello. Malfoy and Zabini went to the pants and began looking through them. There were a few pairs of leather pants and some tight jeans in black and blue hues.

"Look at how cool this is Harry," Ron pointed to a skull and crossbones belt buckle.

"Oh yeah, I like that," Harry nodded and glanced over at the other two.

"What about this shirt?" Malfoy had picked up a long sleeved white fishnet shirt.

"If you want to be a whore," Blaise shrugged but then looked at it again, "if you wear a different shirt under it, it'd actually be pretty nice."

"Good, I would have bought it anyways," Malfoy put it over his arm where he also had two pairs of jeans and a pair of leather pants.

Harry went over and looked at the Ramones shirt Zabini was looking at. "That'd be good on you," Harry commented.

"You think? Mum says I wear to much black and white and I should branch into color." This shirt was yellow and white and matched the look of the Italian rather well.

"I do actually," Harry nodded.

"Oi, Potter, what do you think of this?" Malfoy held up a green shirt with a safety pin collar and a rip held closed by wide orange stitching that also ran along all the seems.

"It's a really cool shirt, but orange isn't really a good color for you, I don't think," Harry looked it over.

"Not for me, for you," Malfoy held it out to him.

"Really? You think I could wear something like this?" Harry hadn't ever thought of himself as someone who could look good anything like that.

"Oh sure, the green would look great," Zabini confirmed it, "try it on."

Harry moved to do so when he was stopped. "Take this shirt too," Malfoy handed him a white shirt with the Sublime sun on it.

"Oh, these pants would look great with that green shirt too," Zabini held out a pair of dark jeans with a studded black belt.

Soon Harry had four pairs of pants and seven shirts that they were making him get. Though, to be fair they'd done something similar to Ron. And the two Slytherins were each getting a few things.

As they left they saw the group of gothic kids standing around a video game console, watching a guy with a set of four lip piercings play the game. They looked up and saw the four come out.

"Oi," one girl, the one who'd taunted Malfoy earlier, strutted over, glowering.

"Can I help you?" Malfoy stopped to speak with her. Zabini was at his side and the two Gryffindors were slightly behind and off to the other side.

"What makes you think you can just ignore me when I talk to you?"

"When did you try and talk to me?" Malfoy asked.

"Earlier when you were coming in," she clarified and he seemed to remember her. The rest of the gothic kids came over as well.

"That was what you called trying to converse? really that was just jeering someone," Malfoy said, "if you wish to speak with him, learn to make conversation first."

The girl looked peeved.

"Come on Draco, let's just go," Harry put a hand on the blonde's shoulders.

"You back off four-eyes, let me deal with this poser-bitch," she ripped Harry's hand off Malfoy's shoulder and replaced it with her own, drawing back her other fist as if to punch Malfoy.

The Slytherin's eyes widened with realization.

Harry and Ron and Blaise all froze.

_Bloody fucking hell, they've not even been here a week!_ Harry thought as the girl lent in to punch.

OKAY! review and I'll put up the rest of the fight.


	7. Me, You and the Ice Pack

Her hand came flying forward, knuckles bared at the Slytherin. Harry sucked in breathe and in the millisecond before her punch landed on his face Malfoy reached up and grabbed her hand.

"Don't touch me you bloody whore," he pushed her fist back and dropped his bag. One of the boys caught her as she stumbled back and another came forward with a girl to try and hit the heir. He let fly a left hook, catching the boy under the jaw and sending him back into the group. Blaise grabbed the girl's shoulder and spun her around from the blonde, he punched her in the gut and shoved her to the ground.

"Go!" Blaise ducked past the blonde as he punched one of the girls who'd charged at him. Blaise grabbed Draco's bag and darted past the Gryffindors, pulling them away in his wake. Malfoy managed to punch another one before he took off after them. The group recovered and started after them.

A security guard came from a wing and called for them to stop and he moved in front of Malfoy. Instead he side stepped the guard and shoved open the door. Blaise, Ron and Harry stood a little ways from the steps, awaiting his appearance. He burst through the doors and jumped off the stairs.

As he sailed through the air his black shirt lifted up and Harry saw the pale stomach and prominent hip-bones. _Holy crap, those hips are incredible. _Harry felt himself stare for that second, the image making itself permanent in his mind. Malfoy landed and stood up, taking off again, the other three went after him. Harry glanced back and saw the gothic kids getting hauled out of the Centre by the shopping guard, he looked pissed off and was yelling something as he shoved them roughly down the stairs. After a little while they slowed down and stopped under a street light a block away from Privet Drive. Blaise laughed and lent against the light.

"That was fairly successful," Zabini said, leaning his head to the side to look at Malfoy who was sitting with his back to the post.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that Malfoy?" Ron asked, clutching his side.

"Bar fights, mosh pit fights and an ass kicking by my cousins when I was twelve," Malfoy answered. He let out a chuckle and then winced, "I think I got hit," he put a hand on his jaw and Harry saw a bruise forming already.

"Yeah, you did, must have been a good one," Harry nodded.

"Ow," Malfoy pressed it lightly and shrugged. "It's not nearly as bad as the black eye I got during the brawl after the Wax Statue concert last summer."

Blaise laughed, "that was so hideous, I can't believe Helena hit you that hard."

"Helena Fudge?" Ron frowned.

"Yeah, she's a bloody monster during a fight," Blaise nodded.

"You two are crazy," Ron said, but in a non-malicious way. Harry smiled, maybe things would be okay…ish.

The group stood up and made their way back to Number 4, moving slowly since Ron was still winded and Blaise thought his legs were going to fall off.

"You want some ice for that once we get back?" Harry asked. He and Malfoy were a little ahead of the other two.

"What? Oh, yes please," Malfoy nodded and worked his jaw a little. The joint popped and Malfoy let out a sigh. "I guess that's one place we can't go again."

"There are loads of things to do, besides, in a few months, the guard won't even remember us," Harry shrugged it off.

Malfoy nodded, "I feel bad about starting such a stupid brawl, getting you and Weasely mixed up in it."

Harry was stunned, "Why do you feel bad about it?"

"Normally there's an excuse for fighting, drunkenness or plain insanity or someone been challenging for a real reason. This was just a stupid girl who got on my nerves and I should have let it go, not fought. I apologize."

"Nothing happened, its fine," Harry shook his head slightly, still a little dazed by the apology.

"I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," Malfoy said, giving him a half smile or smirk.

They reached the driveway and walked up to the door. Petunia was peering at them through the window but disappeared upstairs as soon as they got close enough to see her. Harry let them all in and they went to the kitchen to drink some hot tea and relax before going to bed.

"I think I'll take my tea to bed and read," Blaise said, examining the mug and teabag Harry had set out for him.

"That's fine," Harry nodded and watched the teakettle start to whistle.

"I'm just going to shower and go to bed," Ron said, he picked up his bag and left, waving goodnight to the three. Blaise swirled his tea as Harry filled the cup and then the other two.

"Night Harry," Blaise waved at the Gryffindor and planted a peck on Malfoy's cheek, "night love."

Malfoy returned the kiss, "night Blaisey."

He disappeared upstairs and Harry walked over with their tea. Malfoy hauled himself up onto the island and sipped the liquid he was given.

"Oh, the ice," Harry went back and prepared a little pack of ice.

"Thanks," Malfoy took it and set it against his jaw. He wrinkled his nose then set it down.

"What?"

Malfoy just shook his head and sipped his tea. Harry rolled his eyes and picked up the ice, he set it against the bruise and, even though Malfoy tried to move away Harry wouldn't let him. "It'll help, I promise."

"Doesn't mean I like it," Malfoy humphed and took another sip of tea.

Harry was standing in front of him, his stomach about the same height as the island Draco was sitting on, so their faces were about parallel. They happened to glance at each other at the same second and caught the other's eyes.

"I don't think the ice is helping," Malfoy whispered, caught off guard by the unreadable look in Harry's eyes.

Harry was silent in response, with a blush he broke the eye contact and looked away. Malfoy smiled a little, almost amused.

"I think I can take it from here," Malfoy put his hand on the ice pack, slightly over lapping Harry's. The Gryffindor nodded and slowly withdrew his own hand, a heat spreading over his cheeks.

"I'll see you in the morning then, night Malfoy," Harry said, he picked up his tea and walked away.

"Night Harry," Malfoy said, his eyes elsewhere, Harry paused for a second but, blushing continued away.

In his room Harry set the mug down and flopped onto his bed. A little confused he closed his eyes and imagined the year to come. The blonde Slytherin starting fights in the first week of school, maybe punching a teacher. He could see Malfoy looking constantly perfect, smirking at people, sneering and insulting.

"I've got a Malfoy on my mind," he rolled his eyes and turned away to face the wall.

Malfoy remained seated on the island, considering the possibilities. He didn't really want to go to Stonewall, nor did he really want to have anything to do with a large number of muggles. Slowly rolling over the thoughts in his mind he noticed Harry's bag still on the table. He slid off the island and picked up both bags, leaving his ice pack on the counter along with his tea. He turned and saw Petunia standing in the doorway, giving him a curious look.

"You're Malfoy, correct?"

"Yes ma'am, I am," Malfoy nodded, his shoulders held back.

"How'd your outing go?" She asked, moving into the kitchen more.

"Fine, we went to the shopping centre and I was just going to bring Harry his things, he left them down here," Malfoy indicated the bag in his left hand.

"Oh," she spotted the ice pack, "did you get hurt?" she cooed at him.

"No ma'am, just got a lesson on what an cold pack thing does," Malfoy took a step back to match her step forward.

"I see," she nodded and gave him a weird, adoring look. She took another few steps forward and reached out to touch his shoulder.

"Please, I have to be going to bed now, long day learning about muggles tomorrow," Malfoy moved back quickly and went around the other side of the table.

"Of course, good night Malfoy," she moved her eyes over his body and watched him leave, adoring his backside.

The Slytherin prince rushed upstairs and shut the door behind him, locking it was many times as he could before running out of locks. Ron was just leaving the bathroom and gave him an odd look.

"What happened to you?"

"Potter's aunt just tried to get too friendly," Malfoy breathed heavily.

Ron's eyebrows shot up and he laughed, clutching his stomach, "really?"

"Yes," Malfoy saw how absurd this had been and chuckled softly. "I've got to give Potter his stuff."

"Yeah, no worries," Ron was still laughing as he left himself into his room.

Draco went to Harry's room and opened the door. The black haired boy was lying to the wall and was probably half asleep.

"Potter?" Malfoy's voice was soft and sounded a little breathy.

The boy shut up and looked at him, bewildered. "What?"

"Here," with a smirk he handed the other boy the bag and left.

_I'm so glad it wasn't real! _Harry said in reference to the half-dream he'd been having.


	8. Wake up and smile

HOORAH! Chapter 8!

"Potter?" Malfoy's voice was soft and sounded a little breathy.

The boy sat up and looked at him, bewildered. "What?"

"Here," with a smirk he handed the other boy the bag and left.

_I'm so glad it wasn't real! _Harry said in reference to the half-dream he'd been having.

&Back a moment and in Harry's half-dream&

"_Harry?" Malfoy was sitting at the end of his bed, arms wrapped around his knees._

"_What?" Harry cracked an eye and looked at the Slytherin from his curled position._

"_I," Malfoy got onto his hands and knees, "want," he moved forward, allowing Harry to roll onto his back, "you," Harry was stunned but Malfoy continued his ascent, "so," he came face to face with the other boy, "much," and then he pressed their lips together, laying down on top of the Boy Wonder. They kissed themselves to death. Pressed against each other and Harry knew his hands were holding the other boy in place. "Do," Malfoy's lip were gone for a millisecond, "you," he moved his head to the side and returned to kissing, "want me," he rotated his head the other way, "too?"_

_Harry looked into the dark silver eyes and nodded, breathless. In the instant the dream Malfoy got off him and smirked evilly. "I hope you don't mind but I'm not really interested in you, goodnight Potty."_

&Into the jet-stream of occurrences again&

Harry laid on his bed and looked at the ceiling, separating the two different series of events. One perfectly normal (what actually happened) and one bizarre and humiliating but not un enjoyable at first.

"Do I-? Am I-? I'm going loony," Harry put a hand to his forehead and let out a deep sigh. "Kill me Voldey, right here and now."

&The Next Morning&

"Morning all," Ron smiled as he walked in to the kitchen, his hair was wet and he smelt clean.

"Good Morning," Blaise greeted him sweetly and offered a bagel from the plate sitting in front of him.

"Thanks," Ron nodded and sat down next to the Slytherin. Blaise was reading the Prophet, more specifically the gossip columns, and eating a small bowl a fruit.

"How'd you sleep?" Blaise asked, looking up for a second from the piece.

"Fine, got up early and showered, just came down for a spot of breakfast then I planned on waking up Harry," Ron said, spreading cream cheese on the grain product.

"Sounds good, oh my gods," Blaise said the last bit in response to an article that caught his eye. He sounded incredibly amused though, which was odd.

"What?"

"Looks like Lucius Malfoy has a mistress don't it?" Blaise moved the paper over for him to see and the picture with the short article looked very incriminating. He was standing with a gorgeous young woman, no older than twenty in a short sun dress as they walked through Diagon Alley, he was smirking and she was beaming.

"Yeah, who is she?" Ron asked. The caption read **Lucius Malfoy takes his concubine, an unknown young woman, for a stroll in public** Ron found this amusing.

"Her name is Vivian Illix, she's Dorian's older sister. She spent her whole life in Sparta so no one really recognizes her. They'll realize it by tomorrow, how obvious it is she's related to Dorian, and they'll print another apology." Blaise smirked.

**Lucius Malfoy, married to Narcissa Malfoy daughter of the Black family, was seen on Sunday escorting a barely legal young woman around Wizard London. The woman has not been identified but when Mrs. Malfoy was asked for comment this reporter only barely managed to escape the premises before she hexed them. The son of the Malfoy couple, Draco, has been sent to an unknown, remote location by Hogwarts school and could not be reached for comment on the photos or accusation. This reporter personally feels it is an incredible disgrace to the Malfoy name for Lucius to be seen with such a tart. –Rita Skeeter. **

Ron let out a laugh and shook his head. "Let's wake up those two loafers and see what there is to be done today," Blaise stood, popped a slice of pineapple in his mouth and left.

Sitting in the same seat Ron took a large bite from the bagel and flipped to the front page of the Prophet, hoping Zabini wouldn't mind. Upstairs Blaise passed his own room and went to Malfoy's. He knocked once, twice and a third time before finally opening the door and letting himself in.

"Morning Drakey-poo," Blaise stood in the doorway, letting his senses readjust to the stark black and white contrast of the room. He moved in and shut the door behind him. In the centre of the room was a large bed with black covers, sheets, pillows and hangings and in the middle, curled around a huge black pillow was a pale white figure, his white hair scattered over the pitch blackness of the bed.

Malfoy appeared not to hear and continued sleeping. Blaise walked over, past a black and white couch and seated himself on the bed. "Draco, it's nearly eight thirty, wake up," he prodded the boy in the arm. Instead, Malfoy rolled over and returned to sleep. Blaise leaned over, his mouth close to the heir's ear.

"DRACO!"

"Fuck! What's happening?" Draco bolted up and looked wildly around.

"Good morning," Blaise slid off the bed and smiled.

"Bastard," Draco said and laid back down.

"Come on, get up, Snape'll be here in an hour," Blaise had seen the note in the lounge area that morning. "He's got something important to tell us," nothing happened, "I'll get you some dark chocolate if you wake up," Malfoy turned his head and calculated his options.

"Okay, for the chocolate. Tell the elf I want some toast and a huge cup of coffee," Draco stood up. He had his black silk pajama pants on and no shirt. Blaise smirked at him and nodded.

"Right away oh gracious one," Blaise fake bowed and rushed from the room away from a black pillow.

Draco looked around his room and then flopped back down onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling he thought of what was going to happen that day.

Blaise crossed to Harry's room and knocked a few times, he paused and slowly opened the door.

"Potter?"

Harry rolled over and saw the Slytherin in his doorway. "Yeah?"

"I just thought I'd wake you up, Snape is coming in an hour so you should be ready. Do you want anything for breakfast?"

Harry paused to drag himself fully from sleep and answered, "yeah, just some oatmeal would be fine, maybe some coffee?"

"Sure, I'll make sure that's ready for you," Blaise nodded and left.

&A half-hour later in the kitchen&

"So," Harry was sitting there spooning oatmeal into his mouth, "why is Snape coming?"

"I'm not sure, something about a school for driving?"

Harry looked up at him and frowned, wondering what it could be. Not long after Malfoy came down to greet his food. Ron folded the prophet over so the gossip columns were on top and passed it over to Malfoy. The blonde took it and read the article about his father, his eyes got wide and he barely managed to choke down his coffee before breaking out into hysterical laughter. Harry had no idea what it was about and managed to get a look at it.

"I can not believe they think Vivian is a tart," Malfoy said after calmed down a little.

Blaise nodded and looked up as they heard the front door opening. The Dursleys were in the living room just a few meters away and looked up, frightened.

Snape entered, in all black with his hair tied back, he noticed the Prophet and smirked (it was kind of a smile but Harry refused to admit the muscles in Snape's face could do such a thing). "I see you've found the gossip?"

"As always, they think father's some sort of playboy. Serves Skeeter right, pissing off my mum and all," Malfoy answered.

Snape seated himself and pulled a set of forms from his robes. "Since Stonewall is a little farther than walking would allow, I've decided to enroll you all in Driver's Education courses. I can't be bothered driving you all over the place. You'll be getting a car once at least one of you has graduated. It is required, and by no later than August the twentieth one of you must have finished. Here, these are the times of the classes, the teacher's name and the place is just over off Magnolia, across the park." Snape distributed the sheets and took a few sips from Malfoy's coffee.

"Sir? With all do respect, is it necessarily safe that Blaise be put in control of a vehicle?" Malfoy asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"As long as he obeys all the rules he'll be fine."

"I could drive a fucking car you wanker, no reason I couldn't." Blaise said, chucking a fork at the blonde.

"Blaise, honestly, it's you, barely-can-manage-a-broom-you. I just want us all to be safe," Malfoy was being snotty but Blaise smirked, he knew very well he would be an awful driver and just as he knew Draco would be a dangerously fast driver.

"You first lesson is today at two," Snape said pointedly finishing their jests. "I hope you'll manage to find your way there."

Harry gave a nod and watched the potions master leave.

It was nearly ten, four hours until the three purebloods had their first _civil_ interaction with muggles. It would be incredibly disastrous.


	9. Driver's Ed is so dangerous, it'z nutty

Hey, read the AN at the end. It makes me laugh.

&&

And so it was that Harry found himself introducing the three other boys to the teacher, Mr. Erikson.

"It's a pleasure to meet all four of you, find seats, class starts in ten. Oh, it looks like there's a set of four seats right in the middle," he pointed at a row that had opened as a girl moved to sit with a different person.

"Hi," Harry seated himself at one end, next to a boy in all black with blue hair and a nose ring. He raised an eyebrow and took the pen out from behind his ear.

"Hey, I'm Jack," he lent over and shook hands with Harry.

"Harry," he introduced himself and nodded.

"You just started?"

"Yeah, my friends," Harry motioned to the other four, "and I just got signed up earlier today."

Draco was sitting next to him and getting leered at (in a lustful way) by a group of girls in short skirts nearer the front of the room.

"You'd better watch out for your blonde friend there, Darsi and her girls will be on him in minutes," Jack said, motioning to the girls. They heard this and shot the blue-haired boys glares and turned back to the front. Draco looked at him and then at Harry.

On the other side of him Blaise was already making friends with the boy in front of him, a black boy with a Von Dutch shirt and a pair of eyebrow piercings. Harry heard him say his name was Hektor but to call him Dutch.

The girl in front of Draco turned around and her jaw dropped when she saw him and Harry felt his own jaw slacken as well.

It was the gothic girl from the shopping centre the night before.

"You," she hissed and Harry saw how bruised her eye and cheek bone were. With a gulp he noticed two of the same kids from the group sat in front of himself and Jack (who hadn't been with them but was possibly friends with them).

Malfoy gave her a cautious look, "this is a bit of an awkward coincidence."

The other two kids turned and Harry saw one was the girl Blaise had punched and the other as the boy who'd gotten the left hook from Malfoy. _Bullocks. Crap. Shit. Hell. Whore. Wench. Damn. Cock. Fuck. _Harry's eyes widened a little and he lent back in his seat. Blaise glanced over and noticed the three as well. Dutch wasn't a part of their group but looked similar enough he may have known them. Ron saw this turn of events and tensed slightly, worried.

"Yeah, I'd say it is. Look what you did to my face you arse," she pointed angrily at the bruise.

"Well in all fairness you did attack me," Malfoy said, folding his hands on the desk.

She glared hard at him.

"What'd you do to piss of Val?" Jack asked, looking up from using the pen to create a temporary tattoo.

"We had a bit of a brawl the shopping centre last night, she and her friends called Draco a poser, he won," Harry said.

"Oh, yeah, she mentioned a fight with a pretty boy, didn't think she meant a really pretty boy," Jack nodded.

"Do you know her?"

"She's an acquaintance I'd rather not know, see him?" Jack pointed at Dutch, "he and Val were friends until she called him a man-whore, he socked her in the eye and stopped hanging around with them. I did the same, I like Dutch more than I like Val and her group."

Harry nodded.

Val was snarling at Malfoy who looked bored and not intimidated. "You're going to miss the lesson if you keep looking at me."

She glared and whirled back to face the front.

Dutch was still talking with Blaise and Ron when Mr. Erikson came into the room again with a Styrofoam cup of coffee.

"Hello class…"

Two hours later they were dismissed. Jack and Dutch walked out with the four. Harry found out they went to Stonewall as well and was glad to know someone there already.

"Where do you all live?"

"Number 4 Privet Drive," Harry said. Jack looked as if he was waiting for an answer from the other three.

"We all live together," Ron said, smiling a little.

"Wait, doesn't that huge arse live there too?"

"Dudley?" Harry clarified, "yeah, he's my cousin."

"Are you all related?" Dutch asked.

"No, we all went to a boarding school together and got reassigned to Stonewall so we have to live together for the year," Draco said.

"Cool, you want to come over for some dinner?" Jack asked, "I just live over there," he pointed out a large house.

"Sure," the group agreed and went with him. As they were crossing the park Harry spotted Val and her group near a big tree, talking in quiet tones. "Bullocks," the group had seen them and were starting over.

Draco gave a roll of his eyes and stopped walking. "Why don't I just kick her arse and see you there in a moment?"

"There are six people there, you couldn't win," Dutch said, giving Draco a look.

"I'd rather not have anyone else hurt just because some pussy girl thinks she's big and tough and wants to try and beat me up," Malfoy insisted, he made to shoo them off when Val came up.

"You want to finish this?" She asked, clenching her fists.

"I'd rather not kick your arse twice in two days," Draco folded his arms and looked at her.

Blaise took Harry by the shoulder and pulled him and Ron a little way from the fray.

"You won't win this time. Arse fucker," Val snarled and made to punch him. As she did a pair of guys came and grabbed his arms as he let them down to defend himself. "See how it feels," Malfoy looked shocked for a second before her punch connected with the side of his face. A trickle of blood appeared and she landed a punch to his gut. "You slimey little shite," Val sneered at him, feeling superior, she punched his stomach again and stepped back a second to admire the blood coming from his lips.

Malfoy breathed out for a second and then bared his teeth at her. He raised one booted foot and slammed it into her stomach. Val went flying backwards and then the blonde wrenched his arms out in the shocked second of the two boys, he grabbed their hands and smacked them together sharply. Each boy fell to the ground, holding the raising bumps. Val was on her hands and knees and coughing viciously.

"Don't ever," Malfoy grabbed her by the hair and forced her too look into his face, "punch me again," he snarled at her, "or it will hurt a lot more." He pushed her away and dusted off his shirt.

The group scrambled away, helped by those who weren't hurt.

"Bloody hell, that was awesome," Jack gave a wide smile.

"Thanks, I guess it's second nature after as many fights as I've been in," Malfoy nodded.

Harry was concerned about the injuries the Slytherin had sustained. "Hey, why don't you go back to Privet Drive, clean up a little? Then you can join us again?"

Malfoy touched a hand to his lip and realized he was bleeding, "sure, I'll see you guys there," Malfoy nodded and Jack pointed out the house again.

"I'd better go too, so he won't get lost," Harry followed him away, also wanting to be there if another fight broke out.

"Hey Potter," Malfoy noticed the other boy walking with him.

"Will you be okay?"

"Yes, I always recover, and this isn't as bad as other fights," Malfoy chuckled. "You should have seen Blaise, Dorian and I after the fight in the club Ama last summer. Blaise couldn't see out of his left eye for two weeks, his left arm was broken and he fractured his wrist from punching someone so hard. I broke a pair of knuckles and sprained my ankle, plus I got some nasty cuts from broken glass. Dorian, well, Dorian mostly got bruises but his face got scratched up some too."

"How did that fight start?"

"Dorian and Blaise were dancing with someone else's dates, and refused to admit a fault on their parts. Of course then everyone blamed me for starting the fight since that's what I've always done. I got myself a month of dish duty with the house elves at the manor." Malfoy almost seemed proud.

"I didn't think you would ever touch dishes."

Malfoy laughed, "I may be high maintenance, and a git, but I'm a loud-mouth and a trouble starter too. My father says the punishments don't work but it helps get chores done."

They arrived at Privet Drive and Harry let them in.

"Here," Harry patted the island top as they came in to the kitchen. Malfoy seated himself there and let out a sigh. Harry handed him two glasses, one filled with water and one empty. "Swish and spit," Harry said and Malfoy did as he was told. "How's your stomach?"

Malfoy paused in his spitting. "Sore, and probably bruising," he set the glasses aside and pressed his stomach lightly. "Yeah, that's bruise," he nodded.

"Let's see," Harry was filling the ice-pack in anticipation. Malfoy raised his shirt a little and Harry saw it was already turning blue.

"The ice doesn't help at all," Malfoy informed him, but he took it anyways.

"Too bad," Harry shrugged and rinsed the "spit" cup clean.

"Hey?"

"What?" Harry turned.

"Do you think this year will be successful?"

Harry paused to think, "I hope so."

Malfoy nodded, "I'll try and stop starting fights. I bet it's pretty weird for you to try and be civil with Blaise and me." Harry moved back over to set the clean cup down next to the blonde.

"Yeah it is." Harry nodded and their eyes met.

"To try and teach us all this muggle stuff," Malfoy's voice was soft, his eyes half lidded.

"Yeah," Harry nodded and swallowed, "it is," his own voice soft.

They were right next to each other, looking exactly at each other.

"To make us get along with everyone," Malfoy was leaning towards him a little.

"Yeah," Harry felt himself leaning in a little two, his eyes trained on the slightly pink bottom lip of his enemy, "it is."

He felt his lips brush the other boys. A jolt ran through him and before he knew it their lips were pressed hard against each other. He moved closer, around in front of Draco, his hands on the boys knees. Draco moved his ice pack aside and slid his arms around Harry's shoulders.

There was definite attraction, from the first time Harry saw that tiny expanse of skin last night he had wanted something like this quite a bit. His hands ran up to hold onto Draco's sides, leaning in closer.

After a second they disconnected, "I-that…was nice," Harry tried to play off his breathlessness and awe at the kiss but he failed, stuttering.

Malfoy just smirked and slid into the tiny space between Harry and the island, their bodies pressed flat against each other. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. But we should visit Jack, to quell any suspicions and all. Maybe a reprise later on," Malfoy said, a sneaky look in his eye. He pressed his lips momentarily against Harry's and then drew back again.

Harry nodded and began to leave the kitchen.

Well: thar she be.

What think yeh?

Goot? Bad?

Arr!

I'm eh Pirate named Captian Slashy. If yeh doon't review, this ship 'ill nevaar poot inta' port ((yeh know exactly what I mean by that :lewd gesture:))

Draco: I cannot believe she just did that.

Harry: Can a person anatomically do that?

Draco: I have no idea.

Blaise: Oh yeah, I've managed it, takes a few times and way more skill than either of you two have. But it can be done.

Harry and Draco :weird look: I don't want to know.

Blaise: You were wondering!

Me: Arr, avast yee land-dogs, I'm takin' yer booty!

: Draco jumps on Harry: Save me!

:Blaise screams like a little girl and runs off to see if he can still do the aforementioned move:

Me: Arr, review!


	10. Playing pool is very dangerous

They reached Jack's house in a comfortable silence. Harry knocked on the door and Jack appeared. "Hey," he let them into the foyer, "you ought to know something about my mum…she does adult films and magazines."

Harry was a little stunned, his mother was a porn star? Draco didn't seem to recognize what that meant and shrugged it off. Harry followed them to the table where Dutch, Blaise and Ron were drinking sodas from tall glasses and crunching on potatoes chips.

Jack's mother came and Harry felt himself blush, she wasn't exactly what he was expecting. Her breasts were Pamela Anderson sized and her hair was big and dyed blonde, her skin a dark tan. Her face looked heavily tweaked by cosmetic surgery and her eyebrows were drawn on over heavy, dark make-up. She smiled at them and set a dish of potatoes covered in cheese on the table.

"That's all I'm here for," she said in a New York accent, "I'm going to see Andy. Bye Jacky, it was nice meeting all you boys," she grabbed a huge purse off a counter, kissed her son and waved at them as she left.

Harry saw Draco looked stunned next to him, "she looks like my mother's shoe consultant," he said, putting a hand on his chest.

Dutch, Ron, Jack and Harry all turned and gave the blonde a weird look. Blaise knew about all that and was unsurprised.

"What?"

"My mother has someone who coordinates her shoes for her gowns and gets her new ones whenever. Your mum looks just like her," Malfoy said, he slowly seated himself and shook the thought from his head.

"Your mum's shoe consultant is an air-headed bimbo who knows only three things, one is how to match shoes."

"What are the other two?"

"How to breathe and how to fuck, she slept with Viktor way before he was a sports star," Blaise said.

Draco laughed a little and passed in his plate to get some food.

"So, Blaise, what do your parents do?"

"My mum mostly stays around dictating the affairs of the house and my father is in…investments. We have old money and a lot of stock in my uncle's company, Zabini International."

Jack nodded and looked over at Ron, "what about your parents?" Jack shoved a steaming slice of potato into his mouth.

"My mum stays at home, she had seven kids, and my dad works for a big company in London."

"You parents?" Blaise asked Dutch.

"My da's a neurosurgeon in Quebec and my mum does consulting for a law firm near here."

The boys nodded and Harry was desperately hoping the conversation topic would change. He glanced desperately at Ron but he didn't understand. "Draco?" Jack asked.

"Mother whores her self to wealthy young men and my father, insists she's loyal and spends most of his time working. He's in investment with Blaise's father, he also keeps an eye on the company that my uncle is running until I get old enough to take over."

"Sounds…riveting?" Dutch quirked an eyebrow and turned to Harry, "what about your parents?"

Harry stuttered and his friends looked a little tense, "they, uhm, died when I was little, that's why I live with my relatices."

"Oh, sorry to hear about that," Dutch looked embarrassed and then stuck a big slice of potato in his mouth.

"Hey, do you know how to play pool?" Jack asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

"No," Draco, Blaise and Ron answered simultaneously. Harry shrugged, he'd played a couple times.

"Come on, I have a table in the basement," they dumped their dishes in the washer and went through a door down some narrow stairs. The basement was set up like a lounge, a futon and a pair of Barka-Loungers were arranged around a table and huge television. There were speakers nailed to the wall between huge posters of people like Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Robert Plant. Sid Vicious occupied the space on the wall opposite the bottom of the stairs, a life sized poster of him playing bass with his tongue out. The pool table was black felted and the cues were in holders attached to the four corners of the table. A mattress was on the ground near the water heater and a big cage held a white snake that looked asleep.

"Welcome to my room," Jack said with a grin, Harry noticed an area was a concrete barrier around it and a drain, there was a shower head coming right out the ceiling straight down and a pair of knobs on the wall. No curtain or anything.

"Here," Dutch handed Draco a cue and set the balls. "Just hit the white ball at the triangle, see if you can get a ball in a hole."

Draco gave him a weird look but lined up the shot, he seemed to know how to hold the cue. Harry watched as he struck the white ball and it cracked the triangle, three stripped balls landed in holes.

"Fuck, that was a good break, you sure you haven't played before?"

"Sure as shite, Dorian used to play a lot though, I watched him but never really understood the game," Draco answered.

"Go again," Dutch lent on his cue and watched Malfoy line up another shot, he got another ball in. This went until he's sunk all strips and now had none but the 8 ball.

"Fucking hell, that's awesome," Dutch nearly fell over as Malfoy skipped the 8 ball over a solid and landed in the side pocket.

Malfoy smirked a little, proud of his new-found talent.

Dutch gave a dramatic sigh and flung himself onto the futon, "I'm just going to watch _Boondock Saints _and drink my misery away, defeated by a nube!"

"Stop being a bitch," Jack threw himself over the back of the couch and landed on top of Dutch.

"Son of a bitch-monger!" Dutch rolled the other boy off him and then sat up.

Jack laughed wildly and rolled under the futon to escape the skater. He got up and went quickly to hide behind Blaise. Dutch sprang over the back of the futon and leapt onto Blaise nearly knocking him backwards. Dutch reached his arms over Blaise's shoulder and put his legs around the other boys waist, grabbing at Jack who just chuckled and ran off again.

Draco seated himself on the pool table and watched the ensuing chase.

"Licking game!" Jack yelled, swiping Harry with his tongue as he ran by, immediately Dutch skidded to a stop and nearly tripped over himself running away.

"What?"

"It's like tag with your tongue," Jack said, relaxed since there was a no-tag-back law.

Harry nearly slapped himself in the face. "really?"

"Yup."

Draco had no time to react before Harry leapt over the table, tackled him and got him clean of the side of the face.

"Hands of bitches Potter, slobber much?" Draco wiped his face and looked at his hand to see how much he'd removed.

The whole group laughed out loud.

Dutch nearly toppled over from where he stood next to Zabini if it hadn't been for the Italian catching him around the waist.

It took a moment but Draco got Ron on the neck before Jack paused the game so they could watch a few movies.

_Boondock Saints, Spinal Tap,_ and _Troy_ later the boys had run out of sodas, popcorn and chips. Draco had resorted to popping chocolate chips a while ago while Blaise and Dutch were sharing a half peanut-butter sandwich, handing it off while watching the newest movie thrown in (_Stand by Me)_. Harry was comfortable, resting against the arm rest of the futon with Draco curled up beside him, head laid on Harry's shoulder.

At some point they decided to go to bed and Harry ended up claiming the pool table. Ron and Jack threw themselves onto the mattress and battled for covers for a moment. Malfoy silently allowed Blaise and Dutch to set up shop on the pulled out futon and himself extended a barka-lounger and fell asleep there.

Early the next morning Harry woke up, bleary eyed and looked around the room, Draco laying in the chair with his hair sprawled across the dark leather cushions, lips slightly parted. Harry smiled and slid off the pool table and he paused for a second to negotiate how to get into the chair, but Draco awoke and shifted to give him room.

In only a second he was curled there with his arms wrapped securely around Draco, sound asleep again.

AN: Arr, I'm Captian Slashy and I'm here to tell yeh soome things:

I'm sailin' the high seas on 11-19 so no updates fer yeh scallywags. Still review Chapter 9 soo it doon't feel left oot a' the fune. Arr. If yeh don't review…I'll take yer booty, and then some. :threatening gesture:

Draco: Why must she always gesture?

Harry: And who in the bleedin' hell is "Captain Slashy?" And why is she here?

Blaise: Gods, why would _Captian Slashy_ be here? I wonder! Let's read the last chapter AGAIN shall we? What is it that you two do?

Draco::smacks Blaise upside the head: that's what you get for being a sarcastic bitch.

Blaise::steals Draco's shoe: that's what you get for being a high-maintenance prat.

Harry: You're both being childish.

Ron: Yeah, bouncing white ferrets should be kept in cages and Italians deported back to Italy.

Draco: I'll show you a cage :shoves Ron into a bird cage: there.

Harry: How did you get him to fit in there?

Captain Slashy: ARR! I'm takin' all yer booties!

All: Not this again!

:Harry Draco and Blaise run away leave Ron in a birdcage to fend for himself:


	11. Ehem, and now I give you Chapter 11

Early the next morning Harry woke up, bleary eyed and looked around the room, Draco laying in the chair with his hair sprawled across the dark leather cushions, lips slightly parted. Harry smiled and slid off the pool table and he paused for a second to negotiate how to get into the chair, but Draco awoke and shifted to give him room.

In only a second he was curled there with his arms wrapped securely around Draco, sound asleep again.

Two hours later Harry awoke to see Dutch straddling Blaise on the futon, snogging him senseless. Surprised, he awoke Draco and indicated to them. Draco smirked and whispered to him. "Blaise has always had a talent for moving fast."

Harry laughed and turned away from the new found lovers and rested his head to Draco's.

"Not that we aren't moving fast as well," Harry muttered into Draco's skin.

It was Draco's turn to laugh, the vibrations sending a fun shiver down Harry's spine. "True."

"What the bloody hell?" Jack was awake, standing up and looking, shocked at the two on his futon.

"Oh, good morning, Jack darling," Blaise looked at him through the limbs of the boy on top of him.

"Y-wh-y-you're on my couch!" Jack stammered, his eye twitching.

"Not a problem is it?"

"Now I'll have to burn it," Jack whined, "aww, I liked that thing."

"You're not against boys are you?" Blaise pulled Dutch down to him.

"No, but I am against people having sex on my couch. Especially you Dutch, gawd, jerk," Jack somehow got a pillow and hurled it at the skater.

Ron was leaning on his elbows on the mattress, laughing as Dutch took up the pillow and threw it back. Blaise propped himself up in a similar way, crossing his legs in a slightly feminine way and looking expectantly at Dutch as he and Jack continued battling each other.

"Excuse me," Harry noted Draco had removed himself from the lounge chair.

"Yes?" Jack turned his attention and was nailed in the side of the head.

"Who wants breakfast?" Draco asked.

"Me," everyone answered the affirmative.

"Let's walk to the café," Dutch offered, looking excited, "best scones this side of anything."

Draco nodded his approval and turned to pick up his boots. Harry and the rest saw how dark the bruise on his jaw now was.

"Wow, you really got punched," Ron said, looking at it.

"Wha-oh," Draco realized they were staring. "So it goes."

"Yeah, Drake's a hippie in that sense." Blaise said.

"What sense?"

"He just lets shite go, "so it goes, so life goes on," he always says that. Such a hippie, "live and let be" if you will," Blaise said, adopting a mutative stance.

"Die in a hole you bitch," Draco flung the pillow from the lounger near him at the Italian.

"Hey!"

"What?" Draco looked as though he'd never done a thing wrong in his life.

"Ugh," Blaise threw up his hands and climbed off the futon.

"Saddle up, cowboys, we got a-breakfast a-waitin'" Dutch clapped his hands as though herding them.

They grumbled up the steps, into the light and out of the house. They walked slowly down the sidewalk, cracked pavement beneath them, heading to the café Dutch intended. Ahead of them they saw a group of boys in polo shirts and khaki shorts standing around smoking light cigarettes and calling each other gay to try and assert their own masculinity.

"Yeah, I saw a fag the other day, hanging on his boyfriend like a little bitch," one said, attempting a sneer as he spoke. Draco and Blaise and Dutch and Harry and even Jack and Ron adopted a defensive outlook immediately.

"Oh look, a whole pack of 'em," the ugly one nodded to the group.

Harry somehow looked behind them and saw Dudley, Peers (yeah, I got it right this time, thanx for catching it everyone), Malcolm and the other boys. He groaned to himself and tried to think of a plan. Knowing his Slytherin colleagues they would wing it and come out better than any plan of Harry's would have allowed.

"A whole pack of what?" Draco asked, slightly diva-ish with a proper glare pointed at them.

"Ehm," the boys were silent. They must have expected passive disdain from the group.

"Well?" Draco crossed his arms.

"Drake, come on, no more fights, remember?" Harry reminded him.

"Dammit," Draco admitted he'd said this, just before he'd kissed the raven haired savior. That was something he seriously wanted to do again.

"Look, Anita is working today, you guys will love her, she's in our year," Dutch said, he grabbed Blaise's wrist and they rushed past the group into the café. Draco and Harry brought up the rear (teehee).

"You know," Draco decided to express his want, "last time I said I wouldn't fight I ended up kissing you."

"That's right," Harry remembered, he had an arm slung around the blonde's shoulders.

"I-"

Draco was cut off, since Harry, rather out of character, spun him around using the arm he had around Draco and pressed their lips roughly together. Malfoy's eyes shot open but slid closed.

He parted his lips and let his tongue brush over Harry's lips, he felt the softness of them and craved more of it. Harry's lips parted to emit a moan and Draco took his change, sliding in, their tongues slid over each other slowly. Draco's arms were between the, fingers on Harry's cheeks and slowly they slid up into the black hair. He tousled it and loved the feeling. Harry, being an inch or two taller had his arm around Draco's shoulders and held them together, pressing closer by putting a hand on the Slytherin Prince's hips to draw him in further.

"Woah," Ron covered his eyes as he'd glanced back to find Harry.

"When did that shite happen?" Blaise dropped his jaw.

"Know a guy for six years, he doesn't even mention he likes blokes more than girls, bloody ridiculous," Ron complained jokingly.

The two parted slightly, breathless and Harry processed their words.

"Sorry Ron, honestly, I do like girls normally, I-I don't really know why I like Malfoy though." Harry said, it was true too.

"Ah," Blaise said knowingly, "he's Draco-sexual."

"What is that?"

"It's a condition people have where they're normally attracted to females but end up liking or loving the blonde god," Blaise explained. "Thus we have Draco-sexual."

The other boys "oh" 'd and then the group entered the café fully. Draco with and arm around Harry's hips, Harry keeping a possessive arm around Draco's shoulders. The pretty, blonde boy was smirking, a good place to start the year of chaos: with a proper, evil-fighting boyfriend. Who would hopefully stick around longer than that bastard who'd abandoned him in Aruba a year ago.

"Hey love," Dutch greeted their waitress and sounded off a practiced order. Soon they were eating.

"I think that, with the right stuff, Harry, you could be really good looking," Blaise said, accentuating his point with his fork.

"I think he'd cute," Draco said, a little defensively.

"Thanks Malfoy," Harry nudged him a little from where they sat side by side, "what sort of stuff?"

"A trim, some better clothes, maybe some eyeliner," Blaise said, shrugging it off.

"What about the glasses?" Jack asked, cocking his head to stare at Harry. Everyone was and it made him very uncomfortable.

"I think they're endearing," Blaise said, "cute even."

There was a nod.

"I mean, we all have things that make us human, Potter has his glasses. I have a bald spot from a scar in my eyebrow. Draco has a birthmark on his shoulder in the shape of a banana," Blaise said these as if they were nothing, "You have an eyebrow piercing and one of your nostrils is bigger than the other," Blaise addressed Dutch. "Though to be honest one of my ears is higher than the other and my left foot is bigger," he added tugging on one earlobe.

"Yeah, I suppose we all have things that humanize us," Draco admitted, his birthmark wasn't all that much like a banana, Blaise normally insisted it was an erect penis but in public it was a banana.

"I want…a cinnamon roll," Jack proclaimed, smacking his hand to the table.

"I want," Blaise smacked his hand to the table too, "you to stop doing that."

There was a laugh.

* * *

"What do you think we'll do?" Ron asked, he was looking at the courses offered at Stonewall.

"Basics of course," Harry said. He put a dot next to English, math, science, history, and foreign language.

"They offer German Blaise, you could re-learn," Draco pointed out, he was lying on his stomach between Blaise and Harry, his chin propped up on one hand.

They were lying on the floor of the lounge, looking at the catalog.

"Yeah, what will you take Drake?"

"I think maybe Latin, just to keep it in practice," Draco said, pointing at the course.

"What about electives?"

"Theater, definitely," Blaise said.

"I'd like a music course," Harry said, jotting down the different ideas.

"Why don't we take electives on our own? They are electives after all, it might be good for us to have a class or two alone," Draco said, he personally wanted an art class and a free period.

"Yeah, I guess that'll be okay," Harry allowed. He had learnt to trust the two Slytherins, they were smart.

"I might take photography," Ron pointed to it. He'd found the old camera the Durselys kept around and a few rolls of film, he'd been snapping shots since.

"Sports?" Harry asked.

"Draco and I, well mostly I play polo, it says they have a team," Blaise said.

"You heard about what happened with the European Chief of Wizard-Muggle Activity Interaction, I can't play polo to save my life," Draco said, brushing off the idea.

"Maybe this is another more individual thing," Ron said, he wanted to try football (European football people), Dean and Seamus talked about it enough, may as well see what the fuss is about.

"I was thinking of going for that too," Harry said.

"Cool, we can play together, just like Quidditch," Ron said, grinning eagerly.

"Malfoy?" Harry turned to him.

"I'm not really supposed to play sports," Draco said, pretending to see something of interest under his middle finger nail.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not really good for me, you see," Draco answered vaguely.

"Explain yourself Malfoy."

"Quidditch and occasional polo match are fine. But normally competitive team sports are bad for me, temper and all," he said.

Neither Gryffindor believed it, but asked no further questions.

"Do we want to join clubs?"

"There is a fashion club, right?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah, it's in the club charter," Harry pulled another magazine looking book out of the pile Snape had dropped off earlier that Wednesday morning. It was two weeks since they'd started drivers ed. The first drive the day before had been an incredible thing.

* * *

:The day before:

"Okay Mr. Malfoy, let's begin," Mr. Erikson smiled from the passenger seat. Harry and Blaise and Ron were smooshed in the back, awaiting their turns.

"Where to?" Draco asked, rolling skillfully out of the parking lot in front of the building the school was in.

"Just out to the main streets then we'll turn around and Mr. Zabini can drive."

"That won't take a half hour," Draco said, looking at the clock in the dashboard as he switched into drive.

"It ought to, the main roads are aaaa!" his words became screams as the car screamed forward, Draco had a hand on the stick shift and one of the wheel.

In the back Harry was sure Ron had screamed, on his other side Blaise was grinning like a maniac and holding onto the side of the door.

"AAA!" Mr. Erikson screamed again as they rounded a corner at around 70 kilometers per hour. (that's a little under 60mph I think)

Harry almost screamed too, Draco had just upshifted.

They reached the main streets in a second, flying through a round about and towards the speed way. Draco took them down the on ramp and they hit 150 as he wove dangerously through traffic. Blaise let out a whoop as they did a move from the Fast and the Furious where they took the low riding car and a big trailer truck. Draco went faster even and then exited the speed way. Mr. Erikson let out a scream as they nearly hit another car. It was narrowly avoided by their driver.

Another bone rattling minute later they came to a smooth stop along side a residential street. Mr. Erikson flung himself from the car and began to breathe deeply, nearly curling into the fetal position on the sidewalk.

"So, how'd I do?" Draco peered at him, looking for the marks on the clipboard he was carrying.

:Back into the jet stream of occurrences:

* * *

"I think you'd like the comic book club, it's all about heros just like you," Draco said, putting his finger on the name and description.

"Shut up," he got an elbow in the ribs for that.

"You know it's true, you'd love to be there," Draco insisted.

"Hey, look, a music club," Ron indicated to it.

"**Do you have a passion for music? Punk, rap, techno, rock, classical, swing, jazz, blues. All interests are welcome in this Diverse Music Club. We accept all forms of music and encourage members to bring in CD's to share with everyone. We also encourage members to exchange or burn CD's for their fellows who take an interest. Just here to help make things Diverse.** They sound cool," Draco read the description aloud.

"Oo, Drake, here's something we could all do **Magick: Myth or Reality**," Blaise said, he pointed to it.

"**We've all heard of magick and those who control it, witches and wizards. This club was created to educate young kids about magick and the witches and wizards in the world. All sorts of people are welcome here, from the skeptic (you'll soon be converted) to the true believers. Get in touch with the hidden world of Magick!"** Draco read, he laughed.

"I think we should go to a meeting just to see what it is like," Blaise said, "it'd be great for a report for Muggle Studies class," Blaise said.

"You're no better than Hermione," Ron accused.

"He is work minded," Draco confirmed.

"Who?" Harry was voicing a mental question he had about a name he'd just seen. It was a club title.

"**Brighton Tree Fan Club,**" he explained by pointing at the club.

"**Do you adore that football god of Stonewall high Brighton Tree?** Gods, he's named after a fucking gymnosperm and he has a fanclub?"

"Keep reading Malfoy."

"**At this club we write the _Brighton Update_ for the bi-weekly school paper. In the article we talk about what has been happening with our favorite forward. Is he still dating that horrible girl? Find out by joining this club. Or reading the paper!" **Draco said with false delight. "Oh, I just have to go join right now! Please Harry, let me be a screaming fan girl for him! Please please please!"

Draco earned a smack on the forehead from Blaise.

"To class!" Ron announced and they picked themselves up to go to another eventful driver's ed class.

* * *

AN:

Eh'm Captain Slashy o' the S.S. Man-Lover. Eh'm 'ere to tell a few thin's:

Arr.

Thank-yeh fer bein' patient while I sailed the high seas and then wrote yeh another chapter. Hope yeh liked Draco's drivin' and all that bleedin' loove.

Eh've goot almoost a 'undred reviews. 99 the be exact. So if yeh 'ave a 'eart, you'll finish meh up and be the 'undreth (and maybeh an' oneth) reviewer. If yeh do this fer me, I'll make sure to put in a good 'alf-nak'd scene fer yeh in the next chapter.

That be all.

Captain Slashy aka Firestorm00X


	12. Draco and Harry get halfnaked

"Harry?" Draco poked his head into the Gryffindor's room.

"Yeah?"

"How are you doing?" Draco slid into the room, clicking the door shut.

"I'm okay," Harry sat up, setting the Witch Weekly aside, eyeing the blonde strangely.

"Good, I'm here to make you great," Draco pounced, he smashed his lips to Harry's. Potter moaned and laid back down sliding his hands under Draco's shirt as he pulled the blonde down with him.

Draco giggled as Harry hit a ticklish spot. Making a note of that Harry moved further up the perfect white chest. Draco straddled Harry's legs and sat up, pulling off his shirt, throwing it and leaning back down. His tongue went out and into Harry's mouth, their tongues sliding over each other.

Harry flipped them over, the dark lashes of the blonde brushed his cheek as he slid his lips down Malfoy's alabaster neck, eliciting a moan of pleasure. Harry reached his collar bone before he noticed the blonde's hands had run up under his own shirt over his back. Malfoy managed to get Harry shirt off and ran his nails across Harry's shoulders, arching his back under the lips the golden boy. Draco bit Harry's neck and licked the spot, branding the taller boy. Harry threw back his head and gasped as Draco did that again to the other side of his neck, over his pulse.

There was a knock at the door just then.

"Can you come downstairs? Blaise's exploded another can of soup," Ron stuck his head in, eyes closed.

"Again? That's the ninth one," Harry rolled off his bed, annoyed and searched for his shirt.

Draco growled but got up too. They put their shirts back on and Draco managed to press his lips to Harry's one last time before they went downstairs.

Ron and Draco entered the kitchen with Harry just behind them.

"SURPRISE!"

Blaise, Dutch and Jack were standing their in party hats and they threw confetti into the air as he entered.

"We totally skipped over your birthday Harry, and we wanted to make it up to you," Draco offered as an explanation as he snapped a party hat onto Harry's head.

Honestly, the Golden Boy had just sort of glazed over his own birthday too. He'd had a lot of things distracting him of late (including the blonde terror known as Draco Malfoy). Ron blushed as he stepped back to show a pile of presents stacked on the floor next to the island. They had shiny paper and ribbons and there were even a few cards lain out around them.

"Malfoy and Zabini managed to plan it in just a couple days. We got you presents while you were trying to teach me about the compulator," Ron said, grinning.

Harry took a few staggering steps further into the kitchen and seated himself heavily in a chair.

"You guys…I…this is awesome," Harry managed out, Dutch and Jack pulled a huge cake out of the fridge and set it on the table in front of him. Jack, always having a lighter handy, pulled one out and lit the sixteen candles.

"_Happy Birthday to you," _the group sang, Harry just stared at the cake.

"_Happy Birthday to you,_

_Happy Birthday dear Harry,_

_Happy Birthday to you,_" Harry gathered himself enough to blow out the candles and make a quick wish.

"You're all prats, the lot of you," Harry said in joke.

A laugh rose up and the cake was doled out. Someone managed pulled out a carton of ice-cream and chocolate topping.

"Did you suspect anything Harry?" Dutch asked, eyeing the rest of his cake hungrily.

"Not at all. I can't believe you guys," Harry shook his head and took another bite of cake.

Draco and Blaise looked damn proud of themselves and ate some cake.

"What are we going to do tonight in super celebration?" Ron asked.

The group was silent for a second before Blaise cleared his throat.

"Draco and I pulled a few strings and got them, by them I mean Headmaster, Severus and a few other choice persons, to allow the rest of the Gryffindors you know to come over for a few hours tonight. It's going to be Granger, Finnagen, Thomas, Longbottom, Patil, Brown, other Weasely, and we even asked the rest of your house team to come."

Harry felt his jaw slacken. All of his school friends were coming?

"Really?"

"Yeah, Draco and I were going to go with Jack and Dutch for a movie and some billiards in town so you lot could…Gryffindor it up," Blaise added off-handidly. As though it didn't matter and he and his blonde friend had no place with the two Gryffindors once more were around.

"I-"

"No, we already planned our own night out," Draco stopped him.

Draco Malfoy, a proud young man, didn't really want to revert back to "evil bastard Draco" so much sooner than normal. As much as he liked hanging around with Harry and Ron, the rest of the good guys weren't so obligated to like him or keep quiet about his less-than-evil other side. He wanted little or nothing to do with most of them, especially when he had the chance to go out with his best friend and see the town and wing-it.

Harry consented, sensing the finality of what he'd said. Harry recognized the fact that Malfoy and Zabini definitely weren't so obligated to be nice to the rest of the Gryffindors and vice-versa. The tension would be too much and there would be the awkwardness of not knowing any inside jokes the lions might share.

"When are they coming?" Ron asked, he hadn't known about his house-mates showing up.

"Around seven, they can only stay till midnight, but you'll have plenty of fun," Blaise said.

"You two are incredible," Harry grinned at them both.

It was time to open presents:

"Here," Dutch handed him a big box in blue paper.

Harry opened it and found a cornucopia of vinyl records from the Who to AFI. "I thought you'd like them, since you have a player and all," Dutch pointed at the record player by the stereo.

"These are awesome Dutch, thanks," Harry flipped through them, smiling widely.

He was handed another, this one from Jack.

Harry ripped open the wide flat box and removed the lid to see a mini cut-out of Marilyn Monroe, grinning coyly at him. Harry laughed and propped her up on the table. They all admired the gift and laughed.

Ron's gift was a Manchester United jersey and a book of rules for football.

Blaise got him a pair of really nice leather combat boots and a studded belt. Harry especially liked the boots.

Malfoy though, had a really good gift.

"I couldn't really think of anything," Malfoy explained.

It was a set of cards for free hugs, a night of making Malfoy do the dishes, vacuum, get groceries or do other chores he knew Harry didn't enjoy. Harry grinned as he saw one that said "good for one back rub (or front rub, whichever)."

"Thank-you guys, these are awesome gifts, better than I could ask," Harry felt content, full of cake, surrounded by buddies and he had the best birthday of his life.

"Mister Potter?" Snape had appeared in the doorway.

Harry quickly righted himself and looked at his teacher.

"Yes sir?"

"Here," Snape held out a package, wrapped in white paper and tied with red ribbon.

"Wha?" Harry took it and unwrapped it.

There, in his lap, was a book with a black cover and the Hogwarts crest stamped on in glittering colors.

"Hogwarts School Memory Book 1979"

Harry opened the cover and there was a note scrawled in the Potion Masters hand.

_Potter,_

_I thought you might like to see what things were like the year your parents and I graduated. This is a copy of my original one, the pictures don't move, since I understand you've befriended some muggles. However, it doesn't make too much difference. _

_Snape_

Harry smiled at the book and closed the cover, planning on taking a proper look later.

"Thanks Professor," Harry looked at him with new light.

Snape raised one side of his lips in a half smile. He nodded and turned to go.

"Wait," Harry stopped him. Snape looked over his shoulder. "Want some cake?"

Snape drew a breath and got an eager nod from his godson, "I could stay for a few minutes I suppose." Snape returned and took a seat next to Malfoy. Blaise retrieved the man some cake and another slice for himself and Dutch.

:That night at about seven:

Vernon and Petunia and Dudley had been roughly shoved out the door by Draco and Snape an hour earlier. Blaise and Ron distracted Dutch and Jack while Draco decorated the living room and kitchen of the Dursley house. When Harry walked in it was all scarlet and gold and there was a big Gryffindor crest over the fireplace. It was rearranged to centre around the fireplace and the couches were dark leather and comfortable.

"Drake, you did wonderfully," Harry put an arm around the blonde.

"Wonderfully enough for a kiss?" Draco looked up at him through those black lashes.

"Absolutely," Harry pulled him together and smiled as he pressed his lips against Draco's. Harry slid a hand into Draco's back pocket and Draco got his hands into Harry's already messy hair. For a moment they kissed.

"Ehem," Snape coughed, causing them to break apart.

"Hey," Draco smirked and tousled Harry's hair a bit.

"We should go," Snape said, it was a moment to seven.

"Okay," Malfoy nodded and pecked Harry's lips, "see you about midnight."

The Slytherins plus Dutch and Jack left. Ron threw himself onto a couch.

"Harry!" Hermione burst through the door.

Harry rushed out and pulled her into a tremendous hug, he didn't even notice she had a present in hand.

She squealed and when he set her down she had a great big grin on her face.

"You look great," she touched the dark blue shirt Harry'd bought a week ago.

"Thanks, you look great too," Hermione blushed at his compliment. She looked as cute as ever.

Next arrived Ginny and Seamus and Dean. Then came Neville and after him were Parvati and Lavender. Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell came then. Oliver Wood somehow managed to find out and he arrived. Fred and George Weasley wormed in after their old captain, receiving a huge welcome from the rowdy bunch

There were hugs, cheek kisses and laughter as everyone entered the living room. Ron got his round of hugs and compliments. Hermione especially took notice of the tight pants Ron had been forced into by Zabini.

"Who's staying with you?" Hermione asked, peering around.

"Malfoy and Zabini," Harry answered.

"What?" There was a silence.

"They left just before you guys came, don't worry," Ron said. "They can be okay, I guess, with time and patience."

"Ha! You? Patience?" Fred clutched his stomach from laughing so hard.

"What about you Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Neville and I are staying at my house with Justin Flinch-Fletchety and Ernie McMillan."

"Yeah, they're pretty nice," Neville said with a smile.

"Lavender and I are with Hannah Abott and Padma," Parvati said, nodding wisely.

"All girls?" Seamus asked.

"Yeah," Lavender nodded.

"We got stuck with Millicent Bulstrode and Morag MacDougal," Dean said, "all living at my house. My mum near had a fit when she found out there were three other people coming."

A laugh rose.

"What teacher is keeping track of you guys?" Hermione inquired.

"Snape."

A sympathetic oh went up.

"Yeah," Harry tried to sound like he agreed, but after the gift he'd been given, it was hard to hate the older man.

:At the Arcade:

"What about her?" Draco pointed to a girl in a mini-skirt. Jack sipped his cola and shrugged.

"I could get her," he said.

"Fifteen pounds, fifteen minutes for her to give you her number," Draco said, he got out a five and a ten pound note.

"You're on," Jack put the same about down on the surface of the pinball machine they'd been leaning against.

Nearby Blaise and Dutch were riding the mechanical bull together and drawing a crowd of girls.

Jack stood up and walked over to the girl. Draco snorted and took a swig from his soda. From nowhere a girl in a pink outfit approached him.

"Hey," she said, in what she thought was a sexy voice.

"Hello," Draco acknowledged her.

"I'm Liza, your new girlfriend," she stuck out her hand and her breasts at the same time, an impressive feat.

"I'm not interested in a girl who looks like a bottle of peptobismal with legs," Draco'd just learnt about the stomach medicine and decided it was a rather ugly medication.

She looked shocked.

"You mean you don't want me?"

"Am I speaking Latin again? No, I don't," Draco said, a little testily.

"Why?" she became defensive.

"I don't need to explain myself to you, whore. Walk back to your crackhouse and leave me alone," Draco took a similar defensive stance.

Blaise and Dutch had been wandering over but turned quickly around and went they other way when they heard the argument.

"You're a dick," Liza said, looking infuriated.

"You're not worth my time," Draco answered.

"What's going on here?" a huge built guy had come over.

"Oh, honey, thank-god. This jerk called me a crack-whore! All I wanted to do was use the pinball machine," she sniffled, clutching at his arm.

"What? You lying little bitch, what the-" the guy reached out and smacked Draco across the cheek.

"Don't talk about my Liza like that," he said, his voice thick and deep.

Draco snapped his head back to glare at the boy who was a half foot taller than he was.

"If you slap me again, help me Lucifer, I'll kick you so hard in the balls you'll swear I ripped them off," Draco had a menacing note in his voice and he sounded as though he would really do it.

The people there were mostly turned to watch the fight obviously about to break out.

"You wouldn't," he took a half step back.

"Don't try me," Draco warned.

"You aren't going to defend my honor?" Liza rounded on the guy.

"Shut up, lying skank, you just asked to be my girlfriend a moment ago-"

Draco had just been slapped again. But now a pair of guys built like the first had appeared from the crowd.

The snake clutched his fists and glared. "Did I warn you?"

"I-"

Draco's foot lashed out and caught the guy right in the crotch, he doubled over immediately and screamed in pain. The other two guys rushed forward to get back at the blonde. They landed a few good punches before Draco socked one in the eye and the other in the mouth. Blaise jumped from the crowd on the back of the taller one and hooked his arms around the guy's neck. He pulled back, the guy leaning his head back to try and get air again.

Draco punched the second guy again in the face before a good kick to his shin brought him down for a second. A foot connected with his side, cracking a rib. Draco rolled under a video game and then leapt out again, ignoring his pain and landed a punch to the temple. The guy reeled back and fell unconscious. Blaise had a hand around the first guy's neck and the other was punching his shoulder. The guy finally went unconscious, sliding to the floor, Blaise breathed heavily and looked at them. The original guy was still clutching himself in pain.

Liza had run off at some point.

Draco and Blaise high-fived before getting chased out of the arcade by the owner with Jack and Dutch running after them.

:Eleven Thirty at 4 Privet Drive:

They'd spent the last four and a half hours talking, eating, opening more presents and talking even more.

At that moment Oliver was stretched out with his head in Katie's lap and his feet propped up in Ginny. Harry was reclining in a chair with Ron in the seat next to him, Hermione on the arm of Ron's chair. Lavender and Parvati had left a little time before since they had a curfew.

"I think that Zacharias was a jerk just because he was able to, if it'd been even kind of different, he'd have been as quiet as a mouse," George said.

"Yeah, I think you're right. But it could have been that way with anyone," Seamus said.

"True," there was a nod.

The door to the house creaked open and Harry sat up a little to see who it was. Blaise was telling Jack and Dutch to go home and not worry anymore. Draco would be fine. Harry stood and the curiousness of the rest of the Gryffindors was obvious.

Blaise opened the door and in limped Malfoy, the Italian shut the door and put an arm around the blonde, helping him to the kitchen. Draco didn't have a shirt on, instead he was holding it. The bandage around his chest was thick and ominous looking.

"What happened?"

Malfoy had a black eye, thick bandaged around his torso and a limp. Blaise only had a thick cast around his right wrist and some bruises.

"Fight," Blaise said, pulling out a chair for his fellow Slytherin.

Harry gave him a look to continue.

Malfoy drew a slow breath, "my fault. A girl, Liza, asked to be my girlfriend," he sneered at the thought, "I turned her down, then her boyfriend, huge guy, came over. He slapped me, I warned him, he slapped me again, I kicked his balls. His friends came over. Blaise choked one, I got the other. He got my shin then kicked my ribs, cracked two. But I-we won. Blaise fractured his wrist beating this arse so hard."

Harry put his face in his hands. Ron was giving them an amused look. The rest of the lions just peered oddly at the snakes.

"Gods, that was a good fight," Draco smirked to himself.

**Last chapter got 20 reviews. That's crazy. But thanks so much. **

**Someone mentioned spelling/grammar errors: yes, I know I have wretched grammar, I'd really like it if anyone is or knows a person willing to beta chapters. I don't know how a beta works but I still would like one. **

**You are all awesome readers/reviewers. **

**By the way: the Licking Game "tag with your tongue" is actually a real game the Cross Country guys at my school play. I've played, it's awesome and a great reason to lick a hot guy in short shorts. Introduce it to your friends, they'll love it too. **


	13. Blaise has problems

Harry put his face in his hands. Ron was giving them an amused look. The rest of the lions just peered oddly at the snakes.

"Gods, that was a good fight," Draco smirked to himself.

Hermione turned a little pink and stood, smoothing a wrinkle from her jeans.

"You know, it is incredibly irresponsible-"

"Shut it Granger," Blaise snapped. He shot her a dirty look, "don't lecture us on irresponsibility. You, who, might I add, turned herself into a cat in second year with a polyjuice potion."

Hermione, Harry and Ron gasped, how had he known?

"I-"

"I may be a trouble starting, loud mouthed bastard but at least I acknowledge it. I know I fuck up, no need to act like my caretaker," Blaise said, he crossed his arms as though challenging her to speak back.

The den of lions was on their feet, prepared to fight for the honor of the bushy haired girl.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Zabini. I…I apologize for offending you," Hermione spoke carefully. She was putting forth her best effort to remain civil with the boys living with her two best friends.

Blaise gave her a calculating look and was going to speak when Draco hauled himself up from his chair. The snake stood proud, his shoulders back, "he accepts your apology Miss Granger, Blaise apologizes for the rude comment, for there is no excuse for such behavior."

There was a shocked silence.

Blaise looked sideways at the blonde but conceded to him, "Yes, I apologize for the rude words. Thank you for being civil."

Draco seemed pleased with the interaction. "That went well," he seated himself again, with some difficulty, considering the bandage around his chest.

"I expect you'll want some tea?" Blaise was speaking to the other snake.

"Sounds fine," Malfoy nodded and took out a cigarette.

"It's about time we head back to our houses, Harry. It was great seeing you," Hermione looked at her wrist watch. She hugged Ron and then Harry. Everyone filed out, hugging, promising to write and such.

"Sorry we ruined your party," Blaise set out four mugs and filled them with tea.

"No problem, Blaise, it's understandable," Harry said.

They drank their tea in a comfortable silence until Draco decided to go to bed.

"Here, I'll help you," Harry offered. They stood and began making slow progress upstairs. Ron just chuckled after they were gone and went to sit on a couch.

"Those two," Blaise shook his head, sending his dark hair into his eyes. He sat next to Ron, stretching out his legs on the couch, back rested to Ron's shoulder.

"Yeah, Harry seems kind of hung up on Malfoy."

"It's easy to do. Drake's a good guy underneath it all, it seems way clichéd, I know, bad boy with a good heart. But it's true, last time I saw Drake do something truly cold-hearted was when he got a mediwizard to refuse treatment to someone who was spreading rumors about him. Bad rumors," Blaise sighed.

"What were they?"

"Just shite about Drake sleeping around and dishonoring his family name. That reporter had to live with a case of hives and boils for a month before he was treated. We'll say that the rumors stopped," Blaise responded.

"Hmm," Ron made a noise of thought and his eyes looked around the room. Wrapping paper was crumpled around boxes and the presents were on the coffee table. Ron spotted one that looked unopened. "Hey, Harry forgot a gift," Ron reached down and picked it up. A large hole in the side made him worry. Blaise shifted and they stared at the box for a moment until it whined.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. Should we open it?"

The box whined again.

"Open it."

Ron pulled off the top and, surrounded by tissue paper sat a black puppy with huge green eyes. It yipped and stuck out its tongue, panting.

"Oh," Blaise cooed and picked it up. "It's the cutest thing."

"Who's it from?" Ron looked at the tag.

_To Harry_

_From Oliver Wood_

"Weird that he would forget, it wasn't opened," Ron said, setting the box aside.

The puppy had taken a liking to Blaise and was licking him with delight.

"He reminds me of Limbo, my dog back home," Blaise said, scratching the pup.

"Is it a boy?"

Blaise checked, "yeah."

"What should we name it?"

"Let's let Harry decide, it's his dog."

"Yeah."

The puppy looked at Ron and seemed to smile. It padded across Blaise's lap and leapt into Ron's. It yipped again, blinking big green eyes at him. "He's so cute."

The door opened and the Dursleys entered.

"What's that mongrel doing in my house?" Vernon spotted the dog.

"What did you freaks do to my beautiful living room?" Petunia shrieked. She clung to the door to keep from falling.

"We'll change it back in the morning," Blaise said.

"Go upstairs," Ron said, glaring.

"I most certainly-"

Blaise and Ron drew their wands and pointed them threateningly. This rid them of the muggles

:Upstairs:

"Will you be okay?" Harry was sitting on the edge of the huge black bed in a shockingly colorless room looking at the blonde boy lying on his back staring at the hangings of his bed.

"No," Draco pouted giving Harry puppy-dog eyes, "it hurts."

"What would make it feel better?" Harry asked as Draco smirked.

"They always say a kiss heals things," Draco said innocently.

Harry leaned over and pressed his lips to the Draco's chest just above the bandage.

"It hurts here too," Draco pointed to his shin which he raised from beneath the covers, the black silk pants falling to expose badly bruised skin. Harry kissed the bruise.

"Here too," Draco pointed to his hand, which Harry also kissed.

"And here," Draco pointed to his black eyes. Harry kissed the lightly bruised cheek bone beneath it.

"And here," Draco pointed to his lips. Harry gave him a smirk but leaned over and pressed their lips together. Draco flicked his tongue across Harry's lips. Harry opened and their tongues slid out to meet each other. After a moment of breathless kissing Harry pulled back.

"Go to sleep," he commanded and stood from the bed. Draco pouted but allowed Harry to go.

The black haired boy went to his room and picked up the memory book. He opened it and saw a page of pictures. There was a gorgeous red haired girl with green eyes behind thin framed spectacles sitting on a rock by the lake with a brown haired girl.

_Lily Evans (7th year, Ravenclaw1) and Rowan Bell (7th year, Ravenclaw) sit by the lake studying on a nice day in September._

Harry smiled as he saw a photo snapped just before Sirius and Remus dumped a pale of water over James, they were coming up behind him holding it up. There was one just after of James looking shocked and his friends laughing hysterically.

He flipped to a random page farther back and saw a picture of what appeared to be Draco standing with a cigarette in hand and a group of younger girls surrounding him.

_Lucius Malfoy (Alumni, 19702) and a group of Slytherin girls before the Award's ceremony on 11 June, 1979._

He turned the page and saw Snape receiving a pair of awards for outstanding potions and defense scores. Snape was definitely younger and he had shorter hair, messy like Harry or James', and wore square-ish shaped spectacles. Harry nearly laughed at it, he was so different.

"Yoo-hoo, Potty-poo," Blaise kicked open the door.

"What?" Harry looked at him.

"You forgot a present," Blaise said, stepping in and letting a tiny black puppy bound into the room smelling everything. It looked up at Harry and their identical green eyes met.

"Wha-?"

"Oliver Wood gave him to you," Ron said as he stepped in.

"So, name the thing," Blaise encouraged.

Harry leaned over and the puppy trotted over and got picked up, it licked Harry's cheek in the silence.

"What about Vireo?" 3

"Green?" Blaise cocked his head to the side, "I like it."

"Yeah, me too," Ron nodded enthusiastically.

"He's a cute puppy," Harry said, holding him up.

"I think he'll do well in the house," Blaise said. "I'm going to sleep, see you in the morning."

"See you then," Harry nodded and the Italian left.

"How's Malfoy?" Ron asked, sitting down.

"He'll be okay, still injured but getting better."

Ron let out a quiet chuckle, "how'd we get stuck with those two characters?"

"Dumbledore must have had a reason," Harry said.

"I hope so." Ron sat pensively for a moment, "do you know why the school got shut down?"

"No, do you?"

"I heard things but they sounded too crazy to be true," Ron said, bending his knees up to rest his arms on.

"What did you hear?"

"Mum and Dad said that Dumbledore was ill, that he didn't know if he would make it through the whole school year. He didn't want the students in the school if or when he passed. But that doesn't seem right to me, like, my gut tells me it was something else."

Harry pondered this and felt the same way, his instincts told him it was different but he didn't know why he felt that way.

"Maybe we could ask Snape, he seems to hate us less…I think," Harry said as he glanced at the book.

"Maybe," Ron agreed, he stood and sat on the bed next to his mate. "Can we look through this?"

"Sure," Harry said, Vireo in his lap, he picked up the book and opened it to the individual pictures.

"Look, my mum," Ron spotted the bright red/orange hair of his mother. Molly Ollison 6.

"She was a year below my parents," Harry said, he looked down the page and saw Arthur Weasely, his eyes closed, in between Jon Vicker and Amber Weddle.

"Yeah, my dad too," Ron had spotted him.

"Look, Snape." Harry pointed to the one by one photo.

Snape had his head slightly cocked to the side, his hair was a little longer than the graduation photo, hanging over one eye and he was smirking a little like he knew something no one else did. Ron gaped.

"Snape looks…young," Ron stammered.

"He was seventeen Ron," Harry reminded him.

Harry saw his mother, beaming cutely. Sirius was making a face at the camera and next to his was Narcissa Black's. She had flawless white hair and her eyes were ringed by dark make-up giving her a sultry, other worldly look. Remus was a few rows down, looking smart next to someone named Paul Lunder who had a large boogie hanging out his nose.

Ron spotted James and put a finger on the picture, Harry saw it and felt like he was staring at himself. They looked identical, save the picture had hazel eyes and no scar. It was pretty incredible.

"You two are nearly identical," Ron stated.

"He _was_ my father," Harry said, they laughed.

Vireo put his paws onto the page and one landed just below a guy with olive skin, mocha colored hair and two of the prettiest gold eyes. He had a perfect, soft smile and there was a foreign wonder about him that made Harry look twice. Balthazar Zabini.

"Oh my gods. Look at Blaise's father," Harry said.

"Woah. I wonder what his mother looked like?" Ron said staring at the photo.

They flipped around but couldn't figure on who she was. They saw photos of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, and even Hagrid in their younger years.

A set of pages was dedicated to a ball in the winter. There was a photo of the Viennese Waltz and Harry saw Narcissa dancing with Remus Lupin, Sirius spinning a pretty blonde girl across the floor and James and Lily dancing away.

"Wow, that's gorgeous," Ron was admiring the decor of the hall.

They found the graduation photos again and admired the ceremony, including a written version of the speech that Lily gave as Head girl. Head boy, Balthazar also gave a speech.

"Hey, I'm heading to bed, see you," Ron stood and yawned and left with a wave.

"Night."

Harry read over the speeches and, speaking to Vireo, "I think it would have been fun to be there."

The dog gave a yip in return and began to settle down to sleep.

"Yeah, we'll sleep."

:Next Morning:

"Harry?"

"Oh, hey Blaise," Harry sat up, his hand went out and he ruffled Vireo's fur, awakening the pup.

"Ron said you saw my father in there," Blaise pointed at the book.

"Yeah," Harry reached for it and opened it to the page. Blaise quickly to a seat beside him and when Harry found the page he gave it to the Italian boy.

Blaise touched the photo lightly, almost as though it was sacred.

Harry looked worriedly at the boy.

"I-sorry," Blaise snapped the book shut and handed it over moving to leave quickly.

"Wait, Blaise, what's going on?"

Blaise drew a long breath and when he turned back to look at Harry there were a few tears in his eyes.

"My father and I…he, he wasn't ever around when I was growing up. It was like he was a myth. In my mind I always imagined what he looked like," Blaise sniffled and used his index finger to whip away a tear as it fell. "He always looked alive in my mind and…he does in that photo. But, the man that came to the manor and was regarded as my father was so…lifeless, so angry. I didn't know him, I don't know him. I've never known him." Blaise shuddered, "I wish I did. It's almost worse than having him dead."

Harry wanted to say something but the snake rushed out, and Harry heard his door slam just down the hall. Harry opened the book again and looked down at Balthazar who retained a smile. Harry had the a deep sympathy for the other boy, sadness welled up in the hero as he tried to imagine what it would be like to not know his father, were he alive.

"What was that?" Draco limped into Harry's room.

"Blaise."

Draco adopted a very worried look. "What happened?"

"He saw his father," Harry motioned to the book. Draco let out a deep sigh and turned to Blaise's room. Draco pounded loudly on the door. Harry could tell how worried Draco was, his desperation to get in was obvious.

"Blaise!" he pounded again and shook the handle, trying to open it.

"What's going on?" Ron came upstairs.

"Blaise saw his father," Draco explained, "BLAISE!"

"Uh, so why are you pounding on his door?" Ron asked. Harry and Vireo were there too.

"His father, Balthazar, mostly abandoned his sons when they were young. He seemed to avoid Blaise especially. When Jaque and Jonah were floo'd to see him on their birthdays or holidays Blaise was left at home. I'm not sure why but it made him act out. He was desperate for…I shouldn't tell you this, it's not my place," Draco stopped himself. They heard thundering from inside, like things breaking and a scream.

Malfoy made a decision and took a step back. He then rammed his shoulder hard into the door. The wood creaked.

"Draco-" Harry made to stop him but the blonde attacked the door again.

After another slam the wood cracked the door flung open.

In just a few minutes Blaise had completely destroyed the room. Glass shards littered the floor, couch cushions were shredded, the couches themselves upturned and legs broken off. A table was in two, the hangings of the bed were torn into tiny pieces. A window was broken out and the bed was ripped apart. Blaise was standing in the middle of it all, a bouquet of roses in his hand; he ripped the red petals from their stems and hurled them to the floor before sending the thorny stems after them.

He let out a scream of fury or agony. Draco rushed towards him, Ron and Harry remained in the doorway. Blaise whirled around and threw the glass vase towards his friend. It shattered near Draco.

Harry could see his tear stained face and his arms were bleeding, his already fractured wrist had bloody knuckles. There was a deep cut above his eyes, probably all these were caused by so much shattered glass.

"Why doesn't he love me?" Blaise screamed, as he raked his hands forward through his hair and fell to his knees.

"Blaise," Draco reached out to him.

"I just want him to care," Blaise said, he looked up at the blonde.

"Blaise, calm down," Draco knelt next to him, he put a hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"He hates me, he doesn't care at all," Blaise put his face in his hands and sobbed.

"You can't believe that, he's your father, he does care," Draco tried.

"Then why don't I know his face? Why don't I know his voice? Why doesn't he ever want to see me?"

Draco had no answer he just took the boy in his arms and hugged him.

"_I _love you," Draco offered. He rested his cheek atop the dark brown hair.

Blaise was silent, he just continued crying.

Draco looked back the Gryffindor duo and nodded for them to go. Harry reluctantly, clicked for Vireo to follow him and Ron down to the kitchen.

"I sure hope he's okay," Ron said, looking to the ceiling.

"Me too," Harry said. He looked sadly at the ceiling; his heart went out to the Slytherin.

In the kitchen they saw Petunia and Vernon and Dudley looking with fear at the ceiling, wondering what the horrible shrieking and noise was.

* * *

**1: I put her in Ravenclaw, she might have been in another house, I dunno.**

**2: Lucius, I've always seen as a couple years older than the majority of the adult characters (like Snape and the Marauders).**

**3: It's Latin for: to be green , vigorous, healthy, fresh**

**Ehm, I also understand that in the actual books Blaise has a bunch of dead stepfathers and no siblins, however, you can understand that I have a pretty AU Blaise. Thank-you.**

**Special Captain Slashy episode for those of you who like her:**

**Arr, I be Captain Slashy, yer captain fer this here fic. I like teh see that pretteh blonde boy getting' naked all over 'arry Potter. Arr. I hope yeh like the fic and that yeh review fer more chapters and naked-ness. **

**OI! Let meh introduce yeh ter my first mate, or what yeh landlubbers call a beta: Anime-Monster. It was grand o' ya lot ter offer, thank yeh meh hardies. **

**Terribly sorry aboot the sad leavin' off point. Got teh stop somewhere yeh know. But, if yeh do review, I'll see if I can work a nice PDA scene inter the next chapter. :winks:**

**Draco: She's crazy.**

**Harry: Pretty much. **

**Ron:hops over, still trapped in the bird cage: You know, Malfoy, you can let me out anytime now.**

**Draco: No, you amuse me while trapped in there.**

**Harry: How did you get him to fit?**

**Draco: I'm talented at fitting big things into little places. :waggles eyebrows suggestively at Harry:**

**Ron: I'm going to go die now, thanks for killing me Malfoy.**

**Captain Slashy: I'm 'ere to take yer booties! **

**Draco: Honestly, you always say that, how often are you going to try and loot us?**

**Captain Slashy: Loot yeh?**

**Draco: Yes, you're trying to take our booty, our money.**

**Captain Slashy: No, I'm actually after yer booty, yer bum.**

**Draco:Screams like a little girl:**

**Harry: I've known that all along.**

**Ron: Yeah, she took my booty last time.**

**Draco: Save me:jumps onto Harry:**

**Harry: Get off!**

**Captain Slashy:goes in for Draco's booty:**

**Anime Monster:just watches amused and snickers:**


	14. Ron is kidnapped

_In the kitchen they saw Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley looking with fear at the ceiling, wondering what the horrible shrieking and noise was._

"What's going on up there, boy?" Vernon growled.

"Nothing that concerns you uncle," Harry answered.

"Mum?" Dudley looked at his mother.

"Yes?"

"Piers and Malcolm and me are a going to the school today to hang out with Preston Myers and his friends, that okay?"

"Of course Duddey, anything you want," Petunia nodded.

Harry and Ron and Vireo took a seat on the couch, which had reverted for some reason, probably the spell's time setting had run out.

Vireo yipped and looked piteously at Harry. "He must be hungry," Harry said, he stood and went into the kitchen. He rummaged around and found a part of a steak Petunia hadn't finished a few nights ago. He took it out and began cutting it into small pieces to give Vireo. Vernon gave him a dirty look but didn't say anything.

It was a little while later, Vireo was halfway through his steak, that Draco limped silently downstairs looking a little ruffled. Petunia stood and reached out for him but he quickly moved away from her.

"How is he?" Ron asked.

"Exhausted, he's fallen asleep in my room," Draco said, he sat on the couch on the other side of Harry.

"What was that?" Harry asked, offering another piece to the puppy.

"That? You mean Blaise's outburst?" Draco looked down at his shoes. "I'll only tell you what is required as background. Blaise should tell you the rest when he wakes up."

"Of course," Harry really just wanted to know what was happening with their roomy.

"First off, I know Blaise's father better than he does," Draco said. "Balthazar isn't a kind man, not to his sons at least. He has two daughters, Cora and Adiana; they live with him in Venice while his wife Cecile and the boys, Jaque, Jonah and Blaise all lived either in Rome or in Wiltshire on the land near my family home. Balthazar really doesn't appreciate his sons. Well, no, he really just doesn't appreciate Blaise. Jay and Jonah are on his good side, why Blaise isn't I don't know but he's not. It caused a great deal of tension between Blaise and all of his siblings when he was growing up. Jay and he, though they're more loving now, used to tear at each other every day. Blaise still hasn't grown out of his abandonment. He's normally pretty good about not caring or at least turning a blind eye to it all, but the picture caused him to loose that control.

"He saw his father as a man who loved him, who adored him but was too caught up in the pressure of Death Eater-ness and work to see them much. He convinced himself of that. But then, Jay and Jonah would go to Venice to see their sisters and father and Blaise would stay in Wiltshire. It broke him, well, it was a bunch of things that did it.

"He destroyed his room, everything, for the first time when he was seven. I was there that day, I was the only one who helped him. Blaise, you may not see it, is an incredible actor. For someone who's been hurt so much to act normal at all is impressive." Draco sighed, "At least I've convinced myself he's acting. But sometimes I think maybe he convinces himself that his father still just gets too caught up in the pressure of Death Eater-ness and work to see him much. That scares me, really it does."

"You can't be serious," Ron whispered, stunned.

"I am," Draco nodded sadly.

"How can a man be so cruel to his son?"

"I really don't know," Draco shrugged, "even my father was better to me than Balthazar was to Blaise. It's sick and wrong."

"I can't imagine if my dad had been nice to everyone but me," Ron said, his brow creased as he frowned, disliking the thought.

It wasn't until half past noon that Blaise made his way downstairs. He looked significantly different. His eyes were bloodshot and purple bags sat below them. His lips were dry and his hair disheveled. The cut above his eyebrow was scabbing and he fingered it lightly as he entered.

There was quiet from the wizards as he sat down and ordered a mug of black coffee from the elf.

"Blaise?"

"Yes?" His voice was a hollow whisper.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked.

"In a little while," Blaise responded, he didn't sound like he meant it though.

"We're here for you, you know that right?" Ron said taking a seat next to Blaise.

"I'll be…better, later," he said. "You're not mad at me or anything, right?" he asked them all.

"No, you must have had a reason for all that, we're willing to listen if you want to tell us," Harry said, deciding it'd be better to let Blaise say everything he wanted instead of worrying about what Draco may or may not have said.

Blaise nodded mutely. He drank most of the tea and then ran a hand through his messy hair.

"I thought for a very long time, that Balthazar hated me. He sent gifts to Jaque and Jonah or he floo'd them out to see him. Never with me. I sent him letters, photos, pictures I'd done in primary school art class, anything to try and make him notice me. He didn't though, never once. I saw him and he refused to even look at me. I was amazed by him, his eyes, his hair, his stance, his voice. He just walked by me like I wasn't there. He even kissed Jonah and told him how big he'd gotten since last they saw each other. I'd never seen my father before then, but a boy who was two had seen him more often.

"I told myself it wasn't my fault, and that someday he would come and I would spend months in Venice with him. When he was away I convinced myself he truly cared but he was always preoccupied by the Dark Lord or something. I refused to believe he didn't care. One Christmas even Cecile went. I was left sitting in the parlor looking at the fireplace, ready to go until the elves put out the fire so I couldn't. They took the floo powder and I was stranded here in England, alone, while my family was down in Italy." Harry saw a tear slid from the corner of his eye, "I was seven then," another tear appeared, "and this... this incredible rage overtook me and I decimated my entire room. Everything was destroyed. When my mother came back she asked me why I'd done it. I told her because I was left here." Blaise laughed darkly, "You know what she said? She told me I remained because I'd asked to. _She _told _me_ that I had preferred to stay _alone_ in England while they had a family holiday.

"I didn't understand. I still don't. I saw a portrait of my father in a hall once and he looked loving, he was standing with my mother and they had a baby in arms and a toddler sitting nearby. Jay and Adiana," he said with disdain and another tear appeared, "were there, held by him, adored by him. There was a painting of him with Jonah and Cora," these names too were said spitefully while a fourth tear rolled down. It glittered prettily though the story was anything but, "when they were a year old. But never was there anything to prove he knew I existed.

"Once. Once!" Blaise held up one index finger to illustrate. "He looked at me, from the corner of his eye while passing to my mother on their anniversary when he came up for a visit. He just looked and sneered and walked away. I was twelve. I yelled for him to look at me, right at him, I yelled, he didn't flinch, didn't look, didn't even reference me." Blaise took a pause and let two more tears fall, "I had no way to express this horrible rejection. I destroyed myself, my physical realm, my friends," he glanced at Draco who just smiled reassuringly, "I fought with my brothers and my mother. I distanced myself and continued destroying things, like I felt destroyed inside. I am sorry." A few more tears before Blaise regained himself a little and stopped them.

There was a long silence.

"I don't blame you for anything that happened, to the room or anything that happened to you. You shouldn't blame yourself either," Harry said, he'd chosen these words and said them over and over in his head to make sure they sounded right.

"I'm not upset about the room either. I am upset about what your father did to you though. You're better than that sort of treatment," Ron said.

Blaise looked at them and gave them a weak smile and then he looked at Draco.

"I forgave you almost ten years ago," the blonde said.

The Italian stood hastily, almost as though something had scared him, "I really- I just-"

Harry reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, "Calm down Blaise, we're here for you."

"I wish I wasn't so messed up," he seated himself heavily.

"You can't be blamed for any of this," Ron said.

Another silence fell, this one more comfortable. "I'm going to take a nap," Blaise paused, "I'm fine, just tired."

They let him go back upstairs.

"Will he really be okay?" Harry looked after him.

"Blaise seems weak right now, but he'll recover."

"What did he mean after destroying his friends?" Ron asked, eyes trained on the blonde.

Draco was quiet, gathering his words, "During fourth year he acted out a lot more than other times. He's what the medi-wizards refer to as 'magically bi-polar.' He goes through times when his magic is very strong and other times when he's virtually unable to do anything requiring magic. That affects his moods a lot. During fourth year he had a stretch of about two months where it appeared he was squib. No magic, not a pip of it. So he got angry. He completely destroyed our dorm, everything, Nott had to completely replace his wardrobe thereafter. I, stupidly, came in while was a still…angry and got a good punch to the eye. We scuffled for a bit, I came out worse than he."

"You got your arse kicked by Blaise?" Ron clarified.

"Yes, I did," Draco nodded. He rolled up his sleeve and showed them a deep old scar running from the inside of his elbow halfway down his inner forearm. "Blaise did that with a piece of shattered glass."

"You stayed friends with him?"

"Of course, I've survived worse, besides, I've got a nice scar and an excuse to make Blaise do anything."

The boys chuckled.

"Who's driving today?" Draco asked.

"I am," Ron said. They would go to the drive without Blaise, let him rest and relax and recoup.

"This ought to be amusing," Harry said, implying Ron would be a wretched driver.

"Oi, just remember what happened when Blaise drove a few days ago," Ron said. "No way could I be worse."

**:A few days ago when Blaise drove:**

"Okay," Mr. Erikson sat gingerly in the seat. The last time he'd been with this group had been Draco's turn and he had yet to recover.

Blaise started the engine, causing the instructor to flinch. He shifted into first and they pulled out of the lot.

"Ease forward," Erikson had relaxed as they came to a stop sign and Blaise hadn't messed up yet. Ron and Harry and Draco were smushed in the back, bored with the "good" driver.

The Slytherin did as instructed and then a black car pulled up beside them. The driver leaned out his window and shouted to them.

"Oi, race ya', poofter," he was challenging them.

"Ignore them Mr. Zabini," Erikson said.

"You couldn't win with a rocket engine in that thing," Blaise called back. He was in a speed demon mood. The car skidded away, speeding across the four-way stop. Blasie bared his teeth at them, up-shifted and flew after them. Erikson let out a squeal and clutched at his seat. They gained quickly on the car as it wove dangerously through traffic. They ran at least four stop signs and a few traffic signals before they suddenly swerved onto a side street. They sped past houses and other cars and then screamed back onto the main road, just ahead of the car. They flew through a traffic signal just as a cop came and tracked them down. Blaise pulled away down a residential street, gambling that the cop would follow the other guy and he won.

"What was that, Zabini?"

"I was in the mood, 'sides, I won't let a bastard like him call me a poofter and get away with it," Blaise said. Erikson was twitching, Blaise then drove without any regard to any rules back to the lot in front of the driving school and parked in the middle of two spots.

**:End Flashback:**

"I don't know, Blaise was doing perfectly well until he got challenged, then he stopped caring," Draco said. "Caring is the key."

"You're one to talk, you hit one-fifty!"

"So? If I'd had a better place to drive I could have gone for two," Draco brushed them off.

The week Draco drove none of the other boys had gotten to drive. Nor the week Blaise had driven. Harry had begun to feel they would never get licenses. Ron got wide eyed. "I never want to be near you when you get on the speed-way."

Draco blew him a raspberry.

Ron blew one in return and they stayed there with their tongues stuck out at each other for a moment.

"You're both immature," Harry said.

They turned their heads to him and maintained their tongue insult, now directed to him. In return Harry rolled his eyes and left them to go up to the lounge and watch some television.

He reached the top floor and saw Blaise standing in his room holding a photo whose frame had been destroyed. Harry knocked on the door, alerting Blaise to his presence.

"Hey," Harry smiled and walked forward, stepping over the large, visible glace pieces.

"Hey," Blaise showed him the picture. It was Blaise, a year or two younger, standing next to a tall guy with gold eyes and a goofy expression. "That's Jay."

"I can tell you two are brothers," Harry laughed and looked closer. The photo-Jay swung an arm over Blaise's shoulder and put him in a head-lock.

"Yes, we became close, despite my resentment of him," Blaise said lightly.

"You _are_ going to be okay, right?"

"Of course, of course," he assured him lightly, he waved off the deeply concerned look in Blaise's eyes.

Harry thought for a long time about his limited knowledge of what made the Italian happy. Shopping, clothes, Draco, smoking and getting pampered were the only things Harry knew of.

"I have an idea," Harry said, he plopped himself down on the floor after eyeing the spot for large glass chunks.

"Yeah?" Blaise looked at him.

"We both know Ron is…less than fashionable, right?"

Blaise got a suspicious look, "yes?"

"Would you like to give him a make-over?" Harry grinned foolishly.

Blaise got a very excited look about him, "You mean it?"

"Yeah, Ron will go for it," Harry said.

"He hasn't agreed yet?"

"Not technically no," Harry allowed.

Blaise became a little mischievous looking, "We'll kidnap him then."

"That's not lega-" Harry was cut off when Blaise stood.

"Thanks for helping Harry," Blaise gave him a smirk and left the destroyed room.

**:Downstairs:**

"Hey," Blaise walked in to see Ron and Draco arm wrestling over the kitchen table.

"Hey," Ron grunted as he strained to regain the upper hand in the match.

Blaise walked casually to Draco and said something in what sounded like Italian but could very well have been something else. Draco's eyes widened and he tensed his bicep and brought Ron down.

Harry walked into the room and was just able to blink before he was grabbed and dragged out the front door. Snape was just getting out of his car with what looked like their school books. Blaise grabbed him too, dragged him back to the car. He and Draco threw Ron and Harry in the back, climbed in and told Snape to drive.

The older man looked at them oddly then noticed Blaise was holding a pen in a threatening manner. He turned on the engine to the Porsche and backed out of the drive-way. Draco was sitting in between Harry and Ron brandishing a fountain pen at Ron who looked ready to pee himself.

So it went that they kidnapped Ronal Weasely.

**Arr, Captain Slashy 'ere. I was sailin' the seas again fer a while and I'm sorry that I couldn't update while away. Hope yeh all understand. I was seein' Shakespeare in Oregon, near the California border. **

**I've got a very fun chapter comin' up, the more yeh review the sooner it'll come up (after bein' reviewed by the wonderful first mate o' the SS Man-Love Anime Monster). **

**That be all the knews I have for yeh…except :holds up Draco's booty:**

**I was able to capture this.**

**Draco: Dammit I want my arse back!**

**Captain Slashy: Well yer not gettin' it. I stole it fair and…'eh…round I guess.**

**Draco: It's part of my anatomy, give it here!**

**Ron: See what happens when you put people in birdcages:he's still in there by the way:**

**Harry: Gosh, Captain, if you have Draco's booty, that means he and I can't shag. Then where would this fic- er…ship be going?**

**Captain Slashy:ponders this: okay, I'll give it back, but yeh have to do as I say. Okay?**

**Draco: Fine. But give me my booty.**

**Captain Slashy:returns stolen booty:**

**Ron: Could I have mine back too please?**

**Blaise: NEVER:thieves Ron's booty and runs off wielding a sword:**

**Ron: Dammit:hops after Blaise:**


	15. A concert and a wanker

_The older man looked at them oddly then noticed Blaise was holding a pen in a threatening manner. He turned on the engine to the Porsche and backed out of the drive-way. Draco was sitting in between Harry and Ron brandishing a fountain pen at Ron who looked ready to pee himself._

_So it went that they kidnapped Ronald Weasely.

* * *

_

They arrived to a shopping district and Draco ushered the two out of the backseat, Blaise left the front seat slowly, still brandishing the pen at their supervisor, "Good day, Mr. Snape."

Snape just gave him a worried look and drove off.

"What's going on?" Ron looked at the other two purebloods.

"We're fixing you," Blaise said.

"You're cutting my balls off?" Ron screamed he tried to bolt but Draco caught him.

"No, we're giving you a make-over," Draco assured him.

"That's almost worse," Ron glanced at Harry, "save me?"

"It was his idea Ron, it'd make me a happy Italian," Blaise stuck his bottom lip out and adopted the look of a sad puppy.

With a groan Ron let them lead him down the lane.

"Try them in this wash," Blaise said holding up a pair of faded jeans.

"They're tiny!" Ron took them and held them to himself, "they'll look painted on!"

"That's the point, Ronald. You have to learn to wear clothes that fit _you_ not all your brothers and maybe your sister," Blaise said.

"I can't really be blamed for those clothes, can I?" Ron slung the pants over his arm.

"I suppose not, however, I will kill you with a pebble if you challenge me on any of this."

Ron looked rather scared and then glanced at the pen Blaise had in his pocket, it was obviously still a threat.

"Okay," Ron consented and turned to go back into the dressing room littered with pants. To one side were the "no's" and to the other the "yes's." In the "yes" pile were six pairs of blue jeans and four pairs of black jeans which Blaise had decided work very well on the red head. A pair of leather pants and some shorts accompanied them. Draco had even protested to his signature fabric on Ron but Blaise had brandished the pen and no one said anything more on it.

"What are your thoughts on these?" Blaise showed him a pair of pin strip trousers.

"They're nice, if we have a formal event I could wear them," Ron reached out to take them into the dressing room with him.

"I have some things," Draco came out of nowhere with several pair of casual trousers in black and gray.

Harry was searching through a pile of dark jeans for Ron's size as per instructions from the pen wielding Italian. He glanced up and saw Draco's bum facing him. It was a shapely thing that was really rather large for a white guy. It matched his persona though- a little- not really, it was just fun to look at.

"Those are nice," Blaise commended them and allowed Ron to try them on as well.

Harry yanked a pair of pants from the stack and walked to the dressing room Ron was using. He showed the pants to Blaise for approval before chucking them up over the top.

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed as the pants hit him.

"Sorry mate," Harry called without meaning it.

Ron grumbled something that sounded a lot like "die in a ditch."

Blaise turned sharply to the door as the bell tinkled signaling someone coming in. Draco and Harry glanced over and saw someone they didn't know so they continued digging. The boy, who appeared very proud of himself, gave them a disgusted look and turned to the salesperson.

"Good afternoon, I was hoping to shop here," he said in a holier-than-thou voice.

"Of course, can I help you find anything?" she asked.

"Not really, but I'd like you to clear out the riffraff as quickly as possible and ask them to stop pawing all the merchandise," he gave Harry a particularly disgusted look. His entire demeanor reminded Harry distinctly of a younger Draco Malfoy.

Blaise and Draco held their tongues but passed annoyed looks. Ron stepped out of the dressing room, the pants he had on were a little too tight and he proved this by trying to raise his leg, which didn't go up far at all. "These won't work," Ron waddled over to Blaise, turned around, still waddling, and went back towards the dressing room.

"True, but your arse looks great," Blaise said pensively.

"Gee, thanks," Ron closed the door behind him.

The boy at the front wrinkled his nose and turned to the salesperson expectantly. "I can't ask paying customers to leave the store," she said.

"Then you'll be loosing a high paying customer," he snapped.

"Ah!" Ron made this noise from within the stall. The other three wizards gathered around and watched him come out in pants a little baggy. "They're roomy!" He sounded quite delighted.

"We can allow you one larger pair, I guess, but," Blaise warned, "don't think you'll get any more."

Ron nodded and returned to the stall.

"Peasants," the boy sneered. Draco had his back turned to the boy but Harry could see his deeply pissed off expression.

"Sir, would you like to look around the store?" the woman asked him.

"Sure," he pranced over to the other side and began looking at some dress trousers.

"He's rather like you," Harry whispered in Draco's ear after he'd wandered casually over to the blonde.

"Like I am around most persons you mean? He is, but he's not so well bred as I," Draco said and looked over at Ron who'd come out in another pair of pants. Blaise stuck out his tongue and blanched at them.

"Horrible, take them off," the Italian said and Ron disappeared again.

"Move," the boy had come over and shoved past the Harry and Draco to go into a changing stall.

Harry grabbed Draco to stop him from throwing a punch at the egoistical boy. He glanced over his shoulder and inspected Harry for quite a moment. "I know you," he said after making Harry very uncomfortable.

"How?"

"You went to primary school in Little Winging didn't you? I went there as well, weren't you the boy Dudley Dursely always pushed around?"

Harry nodded and tried to place the bratty boy but could not. This wasn't surprising, he didn't know anyone from school. It was surprising that someone knew him though.

"You've shot up like a weed," the boy said.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "You look like you've grown a bit since we were ten."

"Didn't you get sent to St. Brutes?" He asked with a disgusted look.

Harry glowered a little but nodded, that was what Vernon had told Aunt Marge and Dudley had told mostly everyone else.

"They actually let you freaks out?" he looked a little scared of Harry.

"For the summer, yes," Harry nodded. Ron came out of the stall and looked down at the boy a few inches shorter than he.

"Are these your criminal friends? Trying to steal trousers? Pitiful," he sneered. It wasn't a fifth as good as a Malfoy sneer.

"You're a git," Ron said, "he's kind of like you Malfoy, but uglier."

"Harry was just saying that," Malfoy said.

The boy scowled, "I'm no git. My name is Orlando Kilk though I'm sure you remember me from our youth."

Harry knew the name, barely; the kid was one of Dudley's mortal enemies. As Dudley was a bully, this kid was one too. He didn't use violence, just words, taunts and dirty looks. Orlando was a complete prat and not an evil one either, just annoying. Evil was one thing. Annoying was another entirely.

"Unfortunately," Harry admitted to remembering him.

The boy smirked triumphantly, "I wouldn't expect to see St. Brutes' boys here in the Nester Shopping District, too high class for criminals."

"You know," Blaise spoke with a light Italian accent, "a bunch of us criminals are really just rich kids with too much time on our hands until we inherit everything from our parents."

Orlando gave him a skeptical look, "I highly doubt you're a rich kid."

Draco crossed his arms, being the richest heir in the world, he didn't really care about proving anything to this kid. However Blaise liked to have his fun. Blaise pulled out a wad of hundred pound notes. "My money," he assured the other boy with a creepy smile.

"How do I know you didn't just sell a few dime bags to get all that?"

"How do you know what a dime bag is?" Blaise raised his eyebrows.

"I have friends who do drugs," the boy said defensively.

Blaise chuckled low and leaned in so his mouth was millimeters from Orlando's ear. "I've probably sold your friends drugs. I was sent to St. Brutes for trafficking you see. Mum and Dad don't like their wild child," he licked the ear and brushed past the frightened boy to a shelf.

"Y-you, I-" Kilk gave him a shocked look.

"Oi, Orlando, why don't you just run on home to mummy and daddy?" Ron asked.

"I-"

"Dammit if you don't just go the hell away," Draco snarled.

Blaise whirled around and slid his arms around Kilk and smiled creepily again, "don't be mean, I like him. Might be good with my collection of… 'friends.'" Blaise said with air-quotes included.

Kilk looked dead frightened now and he dropped the trousers he was holding and backed away slowly.

"Go on," Blaise hissed and blew him an air kiss.

Kilk rushed from the store leaving a nervous sales woman watching them.

"Darling we're nothing of the sort," Blaise assured her, back to his light, flippant self. He turned to Ron then looked at the pants, "I like those quite a bit more."

"Enough pants," Ron said once he'd changed, he picked up the hefty "yes" pile and dumped them on the counter.

"Fine, kill my happiness," Blaise pouted but paid the woman. She bagged the clothes and was thankful when they left.

"On to shirts!" Blaise nearly skipped across the wide lane to an expensive vintage shirt store.

* * *

It took the four and a half hours, some fancy handling and a lot of effort but they finished giving Ron a make- over. "Dinner time," Blaise said cheerfully as they arrived back at 4 Privet Drive in a cab.

"Sure," Ron started grabbing bags from the trunk. They got everything and went inside.

"Oh, it's the freaks," Peers looked at them. He did a tiny double take on Ron.

The shaggy red hair that had obscured his eyes was cut back some. Highlights were scattered through and the ends were colored black. Blaise had convinced him to get his ear pierced, twice, and he was awarded a black stud to wear. They'd all gotten their nails done, for Blaise and Draco it was maintenance, but for Harry and Ron (both biters) it was reconstruction. Ron got his nails painted orange for the Chudley Cannons.

"Oh, it's the idiots," Draco greeted them.

"Watch what you call my friends," Dudley stood up and shook a threatening fist at Malfoy.

"That a threat, whale-boy?" Draco asked.

"No, it's a-a warning," Dudley said.

"Yeah," Malcolm said, supporting his leader.

Draco rolled his mercury eyes and set down the bags he was carrying.

"Is that you, Potter?" Petunia walked in and spotted the Malfoy heir. She smiled at him, batted her lashes and then eyed him in a less than appropriate way.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia, we're back from shopping," Harry said, feeling a little defensive of Draco.

"Are you eating dinner here?"

"No, we're meeting Jack and Dutch at the Shopping Centre to eat at the Food Plaza," Ron informed her.

"I see," she sounded slightly disappointed and then turned as though to speak to Draco.

Harry moved over there before she spoke and slid an arm around the blonde. "Are you and Blaise going to choose Ron's outfit?"

"I expect he can, but I won't argue if you still take me upstairs," Draco said as though it were the most normal thing in the world.

"No!" Ron stood in the doorway, "we're going for dinner and I don't want to be near you two when you're trying to grope each other in the wake of a snog session."

Harry smirked but didn't push the subject.

At the Shopping Center they saw Dutch and Jack sitting at a large table flicking scraps of paper at each other.

"Hey!" Ron called to them. Immediately they both did a double take and gaped.

"Ron?" Dutch blinked a few times as the freckled boy seated himself.

"Yeah?"

"Did Blaise attack you with a bottle of fashion?" Jack asked, tugging on some of the black tipped hairs.

"Yeah, I guess that's what he did," Ron nodded.

"I thought," Jack started, "we could go to a local band's concert tonight in a little club not far from here," Jack jutted a thumb in the general direction of the club he was talking about.

"What band?" Blaise asked as he swung himself around to sit next to Dutch.

"They're called Jet Stream Ending, ever heard of them?"

Blaise looked to Draco and spoke in Italian, "We saw them a few months ago in London, damn good show."

"What club was that at?" Draco asked.

"By and By," he supplied.

"Did we see them on a Friday in April or a Saturday in May?"

"Saturday in May," Blaise answered.

"I liked them," Draco nodded.

"Me too," Blaise nodded back and spoke in English. "We've heard of them, saw them a while ago, they're good."

Jack looked between them briefly but nodded, "It starts in an hour so we can eat and then go over and talk to the band before they start their set."

"Yeah, I used to go with the drummer, Jason," Dutch said. "We're still friends and, Jack, the rest of the band, and I, are pretty close."

They nodded and then sent Harry and Ron to get a pizza from one of the shops.

"Do you lot know what classes you're taking?" Jack asked.

"Basics, an elective and a language," Harry said. He and Ron planned on taking Spanish, Blaise was going to take German and Draco was taking Latin though he claimed not to need to.

"Cool, anyone taking Spanish?" Dutch took a large bite of pizza.

"Yeah, Ron and I," Harry answered.

"Good, you can hang around with Jack and I," Dutch gave his approval.

Ron grinned and polished off another slice of pizza. The boys ate and chatted until someone gasped loudly from behind them. Draco and Harry and Jack turned to look over the shoulders to see Orlando Kilk and a group of guys standing there. These were the same boys who had been outside the café a few weeks ago smoking light cigarettes and trying to prove they were tough guys. Draco'd put them in their place.

"You again?" Draco sneered at him.

"I can't believe this," Orlando wrinkled his nose at them and guys behind him shot annoyed glances at Harry and Draco.

"Can't believe what?" Jack asked. He knew Orlando, rat bastard. This guy liked to think of himself as the greatest male in England. He strutted around the school bashing the skater kids and their music and sneering at everyone. Kilk was supported by an infrastructure of idiotic guys who played cricket and lived in the larger houses on West Mulberry Avenue. They liked to think of themselves as the cool kids because they dated the girls with short skirts and too much eye make-up.

"That those criminals are here, at a respectable shopping centre," he snapped, glaring at the four.

"What criminals?" Dutch frowned.

Kilk looked surprised that he didn't know but became delighted at causing a rift between the friends, "These guys are from St. Brutes."

"Oh," Jack shot a glance at his companions. Harry shrugged and watched Draco spear an olive from his slice.

"Do you remember," Blaise stood and walked around the table so he was face to face with Kilk, "what I told you?"

Kilk swallowed hard and leaned back to get farther from the creepy Italian, "Eh, uhm, I."

"I still think," Blaise gave him that weird smile, "you'd be a fun 'friend' to have."

"Let's go," Kilk said and tried to leave quickly.

"Scared, Orlando?" Blaise drew out the name in a bit of a hiss.

"Not of you, no," he said automatically but it was easy to tell he was lying.

"If you are," Blaise looked him directly in the eye, "don't come near me again." His voice dropped to a hushed whisper, "It's all I can do to keep my hands off you."

Orlando put up an arm to shield himself if Zabini made a move and rushed off. Draco covered his mouth to keep from laughing until they were far gone.

"Crazy bastard," he said and then laughed again.

"You what?" Dutch looked at him.

"I have no interest in that wanker, don't worry," Blaise said and sat down again. "He's not my type at all."

"Are you guys really from St. Brutes?" Jack asked.

Draco, Harry, Ron and Blaise all exchanged looks, "Yeah, we are."

"Why didn't you mention it before?"

"Didn't think you'd like convicts for friends," Ron said with a shrug.

"What are you in for?" Jack asked him. "Is that a rude question? Sorry, I didn't know," he babbled.

"Don't worry about it, he was sent for just being impossibly bratty," Blaise said, "I got sent for drug trafficking," he said with a hint of pride.

Ron glowered but realized he wouldn't have thought up a good reason to be at St. Brutes. Dutch looked at Draco, "Oh, my da's just not fond of me and my habits."

"My relatives hate me," Harry supplied without being asked.

"Oh, that's a bummer dude," Dutch said, imitating a surfer. They laughed and moved on to conversation about Stonewall.

"Is it a nice school?" Ron asked.

"If we're not too hung over tomorrow we can go walk around campus," Jack said.

"That sounds nice," Harry approved. He and Ron were on track for the licenses, even if the other two purebloods were failing miserably. That meant he or Ron could drive them to the Upper School during the year. Blaise and Draco had taken to referring to the two Gryffindors as chauffeurs.

"Come on, the concert is soon," Dutch stood and crumpled up his napkin.

They found the club without any trouble. It was a squat building with an overhanging roof. It was formerly a restaurant called the Lucky Squirrel as Jack informed them. Inside, a stage was set up and a boy, with a neon pink Mohawk, was strumming a bass, testing amplifier levels. He looked up and waved at Dutch and Jack, he strummed two more notes then set the instrument aside and jumped off the stage. A small crowd was gathered around the bar talking to a girl with silver and magenta hair in leather corset.

"Danni, these are our mates from driving school," Dutch hugged him and then turned to the four wizards, "that's Draco, Blaise, Ron and Harry."

"Hey," he nodded to them and grinned, the piercing in his lip glinted.

"Danni's the bass for the group," Jack added and then he turned over his shoulder and whistled. The silver haired girl perked up and looked over someone's head to see Jack, her boyfriend. She leapt over the counter and threw her arms around him.

"This is Natalie, my girl," Jack said with an arm around her waist. Danni stuck out his tongue, which was pierced, at the couple.

"You two are sickeningly cute," he blanched.

"Shut up," Natalie smacked him hard on the arm. Blaise smirked, feeling too quite and shy for his own good.

"Nat, you beating up the band again?" a man, at least seven feet tall and about as thick as a chair leg, appeared from seemingly no-where.

"No," she shot him a look, "these are Jacky's and Dutch-Boy's friends," she motioned to the four, "Draco, Blaise, Ron and Harry," she repeated the names dutifully though she couldn't match the names to the faces, technically. Her instinct told her the foreign names went to the prettier, more foreign looking boys, the blonde and the Italian. Theoretically Blaise, the more Italian name, went with the olive skinned guy. Draco, which sounded more yuppy and rich, thusly went with the pale blonde who definitely looked raised in a wealthy manner.

"Hey, I'm Caleb, I own the place and bar-keep," he shook their hands and jabbed a thumb at the bar.

"OI!" a huge group of people came in, forcing Natalie to remove herself from Jack and go with Caleb behind the bar to serve drinks. Danni blew them a kiss and flung himself onstage as three more guys came out from the wings.

Natalie, a cunning girl, kept an eye on the new guys to make sure they didn't get in trouble with the rowdy regulars. She was nice enough, flawed in many ways, but nice enough. A brutish older fellow kept ordering a scotch on the rocks though he had no money to pay. He pounded the countertop and demanded his drink. Over her shoulder she told him to put his pounds down and she'd get it to him, serving a blonde girl a martini in exchange for a gold coin. He refused to pay her, due to the service, and she refused to serve him, due to the pay.

Draco and Blaise got a pair of vodka shots, lit up their Magic Blacks and turned to hear the band as the bass rumbled through the small cement club.

* * *

**Arr me mateys, I apologize fer the wait on this 'ere chapter but I've been a bit busy with meh other ships and then I been a bit lazy. Arr, I'm a pirate! I've lowered the ratin' on this here ship from "M" the "T" cause there's really not any "M" content in here. Maybe someday, but not right now. Oh, Jack and Natalie are datin' she's not gonin' ter be that important, just sort o' there. I hope that sedates yer worryin' aboot a mary-sue. **

**En the 6th book it says Blaise is black…and that isn't really Italian now is it? But, for all intents an' purposes (not porpoises) he's an Italian.**

**Blaise: Dammit, I _am_ Italian…I'm black in some ways though :nudge nudge wink wink:**

**Captian Slashy :Chuckles: Well, I knew that. **

**The first mate, Anime Monster, has been wondrous in helpin' this ole sea-dog keep the ship headin' ter port. :waggles eyebrows, implying another meaning for "headin' ter port":**

**Draco: Damn pirate wench.**

**Captain Slashy: Scurvy rascal.**

**Draco: You offend me.**

**Captain Slashy: Yer face offends meh but yeh don't hear meh complaining aboot it do yeh? **

**Draco: That's a damn lie and you know it. You're in love with me.**

**Captain Slashy: Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. **

**Harry: Stop being immature and get away from Captain Slashy, without her we'd never see what happens at Stonewall.**

**Draco:grumbles: I'd better get a lot of sex for this.**

**Harry: Captain?**

**Captain Slashy: I'll see what I can do fer yeh, maybe a drunken snog but I'm not jumpin' the canon on yer love fest.**

**Harry: Thanks so much.**

**Draco: Die in a hole full of cheez-wiz.**

**Harry: Do you know what chees-wiz is?**

**Draco: Yes! I saw a bottle-can-thing in the Cold Box of Death yesterday.**

**Harry: That's a refrigerator.**

**Draco: You're a refrigerator!**

**Captain Slashy: ARR:chases them both away:**

**Anime Monster:to Blaise: I wouldn't mind finding out how "black" you are.**


	16. The first bloody day of school

Draco and Blaise got a pair of vodka shots, lit up their Magic Blacks and turned to hear the band as the bass rumbled through the small cement club.

I'm all lost in the supermarket

I can no longer shop happily

I came in here for that special offer

a guaranteed personality.

I wasn't born so much as I fell out

nobody seemed to notice me

we had a hedge back home in the suburbs

over which I never could see.

The music was incredible, everything was incredible. Draco got Harry on the floor and they felt the thunderous bass coming up from the floor to reach the ceiling and flow back down.

I heard the people who lived on the ceiling

scream and fight most scarily

hearing that noise was my first ever feeling

that's how it's been all around me.

I'm all lost in the supermarket

I can no longer shop happily

I came in here for that special offer

a guaranteed personality.

I'm all tuned in, I see all the programmes

I save coupons from packets of tea

I've got my giant hit discoteque album

I empty a bottle and I feel a bit free.

Danni and the singer shared a microphone for a second, singing the song that was a little more pop than punk with an intoxicating chorus and was played with a much heavier bass than the original recording.

The kids in the halls and the pipes in the walls

make me noises for company

long distance callers make long distance calls

and the silence makes me lonely.

I'm all lost in the supermarket

I can no longer shop happily

I came in here for that special offer

a guaranteed personality.

And it's not here.

It disappeared.

Harry saw Ron and Blaise at the stage and the lead singer noticed them and grabbed at their hands with a smirk on his face. He turned and walked to the guitarist and sang with him for a moment before he whirled around and sang to a pretty girl in the front.

Then he stopped and leant back and sang the last words in a sad voice but the crowd still danced to the music.

I'm all lost.

I'm all lost in the supermarket

I can no longer shop happily

I came in here for that special offer

a guaranteed personality.

Harry dragged himself to the side, got a drink and smile from Natalie. Another faster, song came up and the crowd exploded into a thrashing pit of limbs.

The set ended and the six guys were brought backstage by Caleb to sit with the band on a trio of old couches in the lounge. A table was laden with chips and half empty Guinness bottles. Harry noted that Dutch was sitting with Jason instead of Blaise who didn't seem to mind because he was chatting up the guitar player by the Guinness bottles, one of which they were sharing. Blaise was a…social human to say the least.

"Hey, I'm Clouse, the singer," he introduced himself.

"Clo, these are Dutch-Boy's driving buddies," Danni grinned and got punched in the arm.

"I'm Draco," the blonde offered.

Ron and Harry offered up their names and got grins from the singer. "Are you lot headed to Stonewall this year?"

"Yes, do you attend?"

"I'm graduating this year, taking the tests to go on to a music school and get a proper learning in singing," he answered. "You'll all be Juniors won't you?"

"Aye," Ron nodded.

"That's a good year," he told them.

"Any tips?"

"Not really, old Mrs. Shouch, the chemistry marm left and the last I heard from the secretary she was getting replacing by a thirty something guy who wears black and looks like Lucifer, I don't remember the name, starts with an 's.' Snull?"

Draco gave Harry a look. They all knew who the "thirty something guy" was.

"Snape?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah," Clo nodded and then looked a little startled, "how'd you know?"

"He's our supervisor for the year we're here," Ron said.

Clo nodded.

"Hey, we need to get going, school starts in a pair of weeks you know, must start sleeping early to rise early," Jack said with a cutesy grin. Clo and the band all said goodbye, Dutch and Jason taking a little longer than was necessary.

:**Two Weeks Later, the First day of School:**

"Excuse me," Draco chucked a spoon at the house elf nearest to him. They were rushing around filling school bags with books, paper, pencils, pens and other supplies.

"Yes sir?" one paused.

"I want me damn tea and some toast, now," it popped away and returned with his breakfast.

"Don't be a jerk Draco," Ron said as he sat down and crunched some of his own toast.

"Don't be a wanker Ron," Draco shot back, obviously not one willing to wake up at seven AM on a Monday to hang out with muggles.

"Stop fighting," Blaise said though he yawned at the same time so it was unintelligible.

"Hey, we leave in ten," Harry said, snagging a large bight of Draco's toast and then downing some coffee.

He and Ron had their licenses, though Ron had had to take the test twice due to nerves. The car Snape had procured for them was a Ferrari that appeared to be a two seater but was rather like a limousine on the inside. Draco and Blaise mostly played I Spy while riding in the car but would occasionally play 20 questions with which they were infatuated.

One game had gone something like this:

"I've got one," Draco said.

"Is it a person?"

"No."

"A thing?"

"Yes."

"Is it indoors?"

"It can be either indoors or outdoors."

"Is it smaller than a mountain?"

"Much."

"Smaller than my fist?"

"Yes."

"Is it in this car?"

"Yes."

"Is it Ron's penis?"

"Hey!" Ron turned around and punched Blaise hard in the thigh as revenge. Blaise squealed and everyone laughed.

"Just kidding," Blaise yelped to stop the punches.

"No, it isn't." Draco answered.

"Is it a thing on a person?" Blaise asked with a hint of annoyance.

"…yes."

"Is it the hickey on Harry's neck?"

"No."

"WHAT HICKEY?" Ron whirled around in passenger seat and looked at the other two purebloods again.

"Ehm…." was all Draco said. Ron turned and spotted the mark on his best mate's neck. He gasped and looked scandalized.

"You slut!" he said, making sure to be too dramatic to sound real.

"I know," Harry grinned and drove onward.

"Is it the erection on your shoulder?"

"Yes, how'd you know?" Draco answered with a laugh.

"I'm a Zabini, we're crazy like that."

That was the most eventful 20 questions they'd played. However this morning was spent checking and rechecking they had everything and their schedules were correct and revisiting what not to talk about and reciting their cover story which they'd checked with Professor Snape. He'd grudgingly accepted it as his cover story too.

Stonewall was a large, gray building with old lawns and gnarled but alive trees spotting the lawns to create pools of shade when the weather got hot. The windows were dark and well spaced and the general aura of the school was calm and sophisticated, old and worn but sophisticated. They pulled into the parking lot after waiting to take a right across traffic for a good ten minutes.

Inside they found Dutch and Jack with Clo, Danni and Jason all hanging around the girl's loo waiting for Natalie who'd been dragged in by another female.

They greeted each other, Blaise and Draco had slid into the boy's loo before anyone had seen them, causing light confusion among the group. Draco had promised not to fight with anyone…

"Hey," Blaise popped out and began ushering them away from the door to the loo as Natalie and the other girl came out. A large crowd was coming down the main hall from the front doors, heading to class. Blaise noticed them and smirked, drawing appreciative looks from many girls and a few guys in the crowd. His long legs were covered by black trousers, his red shirt was tight and the chain off his hip drew the eye to his ass (of which he was incredibly proud). Blaise had two elves working in his hair that morning and one on his eye makeup (red eyeliner and some kohl).

The boy's loo door swung open and Draco stepped out.

_Flashy prat_ Harry thought at the sight of him, he'd obviously meant for this to happen. He'd looked mind-bogglingly good that morning and looked the same way now. Harry had actually snogged him rather fiercely when they first met in the hallway by accident. Draco had complained about having to redo his hair.

His black leather pants were too tight for most people to be stand in, much less function. Draco's also chosen a tailored leather jacket over a white long sleeved shirt with too-long sleeves. He cast his eyes to the large group which seemed to have stopped dead and fallen silent to stare at this new boy.

"W-who are you?" someone from the crowd asked. Harry spotted Orlando Kilk and his cronies pushing to the front.

"Draco Malfoy."

Harry noticed a few people react with fear. Did they know who the Malfoy's were? One was a black haired boy who looked rather young, maybe a freshman, with his hair combed over one black eye. He definitely looked the most fearful of them all. Harry made a note to talk to the kid later on.

Draco looked incredibly smug as he turned and walked to Blaise. "Shall we go?"

"Sure," they and the three band members walked away.

Ron, Harry, Dutch, Jack and Natalie exchanged looks of annoyance and then followed.

Chemistry, first period.

Harry and the purebloods found the room without trouble and found seats up front at the lab tables. Snape was writing on the board in his scrawling, slanted script.

_Mr. Snape_

Mr.? Harry had difficulty thinking of his professor as having any title but professor.

_Expectations:_

_Complete all homework within three days of it being assigned. (Different due dates will be given for projects, larger assignments etc.)_

_Complete all lab work within the allotted time._

_Be quiet while doing so. _

_Do not destroy or damage equipment._

The list went on for quite a while there after and then the Syllabus was written up there. Harry nearly walked out right then, it looked like it would be a difficult year.

"Class," Snape turned around when the rest of everyone had filed in. He looked at the clock, and found out there was another moment till class actually started.

"Sir?" Blaise raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"How are you this morning?" Blaise put his chin down to rest on his fists, leaning forward as though he was deeply interested. This earned him a very weird look from the dark haired Slytherin.

"I'm fine Mr. Zabini, why do you ask?"

"No reason, I just care is all," he smiled sweetly and then waved cheerfully to someone else giving him a weird look. He crossed his legs on his stool and looked very excitedly at the teacher.

Draco rolled his silver eyes and smacked the Italian, hard, upside the head. Blaise squeaked and began a glaring contest with the blonde. Snape shrugged them off and began to hand out the syllabus for the year. Harry looked over all the students. There was that group of girls who'd been ogling Draco in driver's class a while back. What were their leader's name? Darsi? That sounded right. She was sitting up near the front in what appeared to be a handkerchief posing as a skirt. Harry was merely glancing but he caught her eyeing Snape as he set the sheets in front of her.

Harry shuddered, this girl was obvious sex starved if she was looking at Severus Snape like that.

**Arr, I'm terribly sorry that I've been so long. The ship got a large hole in it...now I know not to play with the canons. I really am very sorry and I hope you forgive meh an' still review and support the fiction an' all that. I didn' have meh first mate with meh this chapter, so ef the boat is still leakin' a little I ask that yeh sit still and wait fer it teh...get better.**

**I'd like tehyeh allfer bein' so great while I was tryin' ter patch up the ship and not get shot en the face by marauding bandits.**

**Draco: What bandits? We're sitting in the middle of the freaking ocean! There's no one for miles in any direction.**

**Captain Slashy: Yeh never know when a sea monster will rear its ugly head.**

**Blaise: Don't talk about Ronald like that! **

**Ron:still in birdcage: OI! She wasn't talking about me.**

**Blaise: Of course not. :pats him on the head:**

**Ron: I hate you.**

**Draco: You shouldn't hate. Where's my Harry-poo?**

**Captain Slashy: Yeh won't be callin' the Boy Wonder that sissy name.**

**Draco: What would you have me call him? Harry the Burly Man?**

**Captain Slashy: Well that just sounds silly.**

**Blaise: Kind of like Captain Slashy? **

**Captain Slashy:shoves him into Ron's birdcage: That'll teach you.**

**Ron: Damn, I was just getting cozy too.**

**Blaise: Shut up.**


	17. I'm his boyfriend, what are you?

"I'm fine Mr. Zabini, why do you ask?"

"No reason, I just care is all," he smiled sweetly and then waved cheerfully to someone else giving him a weird look. He crossed his legs on his stool and looked very excitedly at the teacher.

Draco rolled his silver eyes and smacked the Italian, hard, upside the head. Blaise squeaked and began a glaring contest with the blonde. Snape shrugged them off and began to hand out the syllabus for the year. Harry looked over all the students. There was that group of girls who'd been ogling Draco in driver's class a while back. What were their leader's name? Darsi? That sounded right. She was sitting up near the front in what appeared to be a handkerchief posing as a skirt. Harry was merely glancing but he caught her eyeing Snape as he set the sheets in front of her.

Harry shuddered, this girl was obvious sex starved if she was looking at Severus Snape like that.

Chemistry went surprisingly well, someone singed themselves on acid and cried all the way to the nurse but otherwise it was fine.

"Draco," Snape paused by him and examined the vial he'd made the assigned element in. "Full marks for you and," he paused, "Potter."

"Potter?" The boy across the aisle looked up suddenly, "I though I remembered you."

"I-?" Harry frowned.

"Peter," he slid across and stuck out a hand, "we went to Primary School together."

Harry recognized him suddenly, Peter had helped him hide from Dudley and his gang once. "I remember you, Peter Grassglow, right?"

"Yeah," he grinned, "I never expected to see you again after you got sent away. Where were you all these years?"

"St. Brutes School," he answered, "we're here on a experimental stay with one of our Professors. This is Draco, that's Ron and Blaise."

"St. Brutes? For criminals? Why were you sent there? It should have been your cousin," he pulled up his stool and leaned forward on the table with interest. Draco observed him disapprovingly.

"Yes but, I'm the adopted nephew, so they sent me there instead," he shrugged.

"What about you?" Peter asked Draco.

"I 'm the alcoholic druggy child of a rich man," he snarled, glaring. Peter nodded nervously and looked over at Blaise and Ron who were both trying very hard to ignore the situation.

"Wh-what are you doing for lunch? You should eat with me," he offered.

"We've got plans I think, Dutch, Jack, Danni, Jason and Clo asked us to eat with them," Harry said.

Peter looked taken aback, "don't take this the wrong way but they're not exactly people to be seen with on the first day. They cause a lot of trouble and Kilk hates them, he'll hate you too."

"He already does hate us," Draco snapped, examining a small vial of acid and considering whether or not it would be a good idea to empty it down this kid's throat. Peter was leaning too close to Harry, making too much eye contact, smiling too much.

"What?"

"We met him while shopping then while we were with Dutch and Jack at the Food Plaza, he isn't a fan of us," Harry said, casting an odd look at Draco.

"That's pretty unfortunate," he nodded sympathetically. "He's pretty nice, if you're nice to him, he and I had some classes together last year and I helped him out so he's cool about me," Peter smiled proudly.

"That's nice," Draco put his books into his bag and swung it over his shoulder, "class is over, we should go," he took Harry's hand and began to lead him away.

"Wait," Peter jumped up after them, "where are you going?"

Draco scowled, "history, we have to go," he paused for Harry to get his bag and then lead him from the room. Ron went after them but Blaise hung back.

Peter frowned at the door they'd left through, "Are you after Harry?" Blaise asked, eyeing him carefully.

"What?" Peter turned.

"Don't try and take Potter from Drake, you're not nearly as good looking." Blaise flicked some dark hair from his eyes, "and Draco would beat you to the ground." He moved to leave and was at the door before he turned back to Peter, "and I would too. Get near him and face the consequences of two very pissed off criminals."

He exited and found the history room where Dutch and Jason were sitting with the other three wizards and chatting.

"Blaise, where were you?"

"I had to find my pencil," he said with a smile.

"I see," Ron glanced at the Italian but otherwise didn't speak. He had the distinct feeling something devious occurred.

Draco raised his brows but got a smirk in return. "All hail," the teacher walked in wearing old Greek robes and her hair tied back in the ancient fashion.

"I am the ruler of this Empire, Kasti, hail me or perish." She read the rules as a decree from the Oracle and then went into what would be done that year.

Classes went well from then on, lunch came and Harry found himself standing with Draco looking at the huge commons where people ate. "Come on," Draco had spotted their friends.

"Harry, can I eat with you guys?" Peter appeared from nowhere.

"Sure," Harry nodded and sat down next to his boyfriend, Ron quickly took the other side, forcing Peter to sit next to Clo. He appeared to have not showered for a few days, and he smelt of cigarettes, blood and mud. He grinned toothily at Peter before taking a bite of the roll he'd pilfered.

"So-?" Blaise took a seat and cut Peter off, "what the fuck do you think of school?" He asked Draco.

"Bloody boring if you ask me, I'd much rather be getting in a fight or sitting on a beach in the Sur la Plage," he said, sipping his drink and glaring at Peter the whole time.

"You remember what you said about fights?" Harry asked, noticing the hostility towards Peter.

Draco turned and nodded, "I do, I'll try, but you remember what kind of person I am," he said and put a kiss on Harry's cheek, "I will try though, promise."

Harry nodded and then saw Dutch and Jack glowering at Peter, "How were your classes?" he asked.

"Oh, fine-"

"Mine were great, first block English then history with you lot," Dutch interrupted. "I can't believe Kasti, I've never had her before but I saw her last year when she recruited some rugby players to carry her around on chiffon all day during the study of Egypt."

The table laughed. Harry noticed Peter scowling at Dutch but he concentrated on his salad much to Harry's confusion. Clo turned to look at him, cocked his head to the side and then gave a crafty smile. "Peter, darling," he leaned close to the boy, "what do you think of nails?" he held them up to the light, black polish was chipping off dirt covered, broken nails.

"They-they're quite-quite nice," he said nervously, obviously uncomfortable.

"Really? I thought they'd need a bit of maintenance, but since you like them so much," Clo tapped Peter's cheek, "I'll let them be."

"W-well if you th-think they n-need something the-then do it," he said, flinching when he was touched.

"I-" Harry made to say something but stopped when Jack raised his eyebrows towards Orlando Kilk who was walking briskly over, a scowl on his face.

"Peter," he said, striking a pose of anger as he stopped in front of him, "why in the world aren't you eating with us?"

"I met my old friend from Primary School, Harry Potter, I thought I'd eat with him and his…friends," he said, motioning around. Blaise winked at Kilk.

"That's nice, come eat with us, there are some issues we're discussing and we'd like your input," he said with a sneer.

Peter stood and smiled sweetly to Harry then glanced quickly around the table before leaving with Kilk.

"Why are you lot so mean to him?" Harry asked as soon as they were gone from earshot.

"Do you not know who that little shite is?" Dutch asked.

"I know he helped me when we were young, he helped me hide from Dudley," Harry shot back.

"That's all well and good," Clo said, "but that kid is Kilk's right hand. He's the rat, the one who listens in on everything and brings it back to Kilk, he's the one who got me near expelled last year. Got Jack thrown in special "wellness" classes and nearly lost me my position in the choir. That kid is one of the most hated little rats in the school, no one trusts him with anything anymore. He may have been fine to be seen with when you were young but now…now he's just a little squealer," he said, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Why were you so mean to him then?" he turned to Draco.

The blonde looked a little taken aback, "he was so obviously flirting with you, and I didn't want to even consider sharing you. He got too friendly too fast."

Harry didn't think this was much of a reason. "You didn't want to share me?"

"I'm not a fan of seeing my boyfriend being flirted with by a priss," he said with a defensive tone.

Harry blinked, he hadn't really thought of himself as Draco's boyfriend. A loud buzzing surrounded them and the students all seemed to stand at once, "class time, come on," Draco held out a hand for Harry.

"We have a free block," Harry said after a glance to his schedule.

"We do," Draco sounded as though he'd forgotten.

"I'll see you two later," Blaise said and went off to find the art wing. Everyone else departed leaving the two alone.

"Are you okay?" Draco had noticed the odd way Harry had reacted to the boyfriend reference.

"I am, just never knew we were really boyfriends, I'm not saying I don't want to be," he said quickly, "just I didn't know."

"I just assumed…" Draco looked at him for a moment, "I didn't mean to force it on you, if you just want to be…well…benefits then I suppose that's all right. I don't want to be just snogging though, I'd like to be your boyfriend but I'm willing to wait if you don't think you're ready."

"I never thought you'd be so rational," Harry joked.

Malfoy laughed and nodded, "I'm sensible when it comes to some things. Do you want to wait to see about the whole boyfriend thing or…?"

Harry considered.

He actually was incredibly attracted to the heir, he wasn't exactly a Gryffindor but he was smart, witty and really good looking. There was an allure to the blonde, a secret in him that made Harry want to know him really well, as Blaise did. Harry looked into the stormy eyes and wondered how it would all roll out. His reputation, his future, all of it could change with this. The danger they would be put in, with Draco's father who he was, with the Dark Lord running about. It was a huge risk.

Harry leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips his hands found the smaller boy's hips and rested there. When he pulled back he saw the question in Draco's eyes, "I would like to be your boyfriend."

Draco smiled. "I'm quite glad."

**Sorry it is short and belated but it serves its purpose, EG moving the plot along. Peter is significant, so is Orlando. I'm caught up in school work and I'm sorry and I love you all. Thanks sooo much for not abandoning the fic though it has been so long.**

**Captain Slashy: Arr, avas mee maties, yar all a great load o' greatness and I thank yeh all fer mannin' the ship while I was patchin' the hull and gettin' smashed wit the boys.**

**Harry: Sorry about that. Drake eloped with a large chocolate cake.**

**Draco: It was delicious.**

**Blaise::still in birdcage with Ron: I want some but nooo, if I eat I'm too FAT to live in a birdcage with stupid weasel-pie.**

**Ron: Shut up Zabini**

**Blaise: You shut up.**

**Ron: You!**

**Blaise: YOU!**

**Ron: YOU! **

**:They begin to make out:**

**:Draco faints:**

**Captain Slashy: I knew some good would come out o' that.**

**:Harry faints:**

**Captain Slashy: Well…now that they're all unconscious Ah suppose thar's nothing left teh do but DANCE::begins macarana:**


	18. It's an update, SWEET DEAL!

Harry leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips his hands found the smaller boy's hips and rested there. When he pulled back he saw the question in Draco's eyes, "I would like to be your boyfriend."

Draco smiled. "I'm quite glad."

**:4 Privet Drive, Saturday:**

"What is it?" Draco was lying across a couch, reading the Prophet and humming a long to a Clash song. An owl had just arrived and dropped a thin piece of parchment on the table in front of Ron.

"It's just a scrap," he said and flipped it over, "with some writing..._You are gone for a reason. Find your reason, find your ending._"

"What?" Draco stood and took it from the red-head. He read it and again, and a third time. "That's odd."

Ron nodded, "go tell Harry, he should know."

"Severus should know too," Draco said and went upstairs.

He opened Harry's door to find him asleep with the covers around his waist and no shirt.

Draco grinned mischievously and climbed into the bed after removing his coat and setting the paper and scrap aside. He straddled the Boy Wonder and rested his hands on Harry's chest. Draco leaned over and trailed his tongue up the center of Harry's chest and to his neck.

Harry let out a moan and shifted beneath him, his hands found their way up Draco's legs to his hips where he was held close. Draco slid his tongue over Harry's pulse and bit it lovingly. Harry gasped and awoke fully, he realized who was on top of him and he smiled. Harry turned his head and caught Draco on the lips for a morning kiss.

"What a way to wake up," he commented.

"I don't mind," Harry grinned and stretched, "what's up?"

"Certain parts of your anatomy," Draco commented and Harry turned scarlet, "I wouldn't mind taking care of that for you."

Harry raised his brows and saw the door shut of its own accord though it was most likely Blaise. "Are we there yet?" Harry asked but Draco rolled his silver eyes.

"Would you rather take a cold shower?"

"Not really," Harry had to let out a grin.

"That's what I thought," Draco kissed him again.

Harry felt Draco's hands trail down his stomach and under the sheets to his fully erect member. He shifted and Draco smirked.

"Oh Merlin," Snape reeled back. Blaise made a strangled noise from where he stood and covered his mouth and nose.

Draco and Harry shrugged but were then hit by a wave of realization. They scrambled to get away.

"I'm not one to comment," Snape said, "But that is disgusting."

Blaise nodded, "Sickening really," he said and clapped his hand back over his mouth.

"Horrific," Snape added.

"Vile."

"Putrid."

"Eye-gougingly painful."

"Yeah," Blaise nodded, "Ew."

"What?" Ron furrowed his brow, "It's for Art class."

They four remained silent.

"I know I'm not much of a painter," he said and turned to look at them all, "But you could have at least one nice thing to say."

"If that were a painting of a shit," Draco commented, "You'd be on par with Van Gogh."

"Except for that weird orange splotch in the centre," Harry pointed.

Ron put his hands on his hips and tapped his foot angrily, "You're not very helpful."

Blaise ventured into the lounge turned art studio, "I think it's got great potential," he said and pecked Ron on the cheek.

"Thank-you," Ron returned it.

"Woah now," Snape stopped them, "First of all; Blaise, don't lie to him, it's complete shit; second off, are you two…?"

Draco and Harry, with an arm around each other's waist, leaned forward to hear this.

Blaise shrugged, "We're chummy now that Dutch is back with whatshisface and Ron's all by his lonesome and so am I."

Snape raised his eyes heavenward, "I put four gay boys in a house together."

"For the record," Ron stated, "Harry and I didn't know we were gay."

Draco nodded, "I didn't know Harry was so cute either."

Harry grinned and pressed his lips to Draco's, "You're nice when you want to be."

"Aww," Blaise made a cute noise and laced his fingers with Ron's.

"Stop that," Snape snapped, "and you; never make that noise again."

"What? You pissed you're not getting shagged?" Blaise asked.

Ron had a pit of a spastic attack at the thought, "Don't say such things." He whispered hoarsely.

"None of your concern Blaise," Snape answered. "I just…don't want anyone breaking up and causing inner-house wars."

The four boys shook their heads, "We won't sir."

"I've also come to talk to you about this…scrap of paper," he retrieved it from his pocket.

"_You're gone for a reason. Find your reason, find your ending._" Blaise quoted, "It is a little bit weird."

"Tell us," Draco and Harry meandered into the lounge and sat on a couch, legs entwined together, "Why is Hogwarts closed for the year?"

Snape motioned for them all to sit, "The only thing I know is that Dumbledore discovered some sort of major flaw that couldn't be fixed before the year started. Some defensive weakness that he thought the Death Eaters would exploit, he had to make this choice. He worked for three weeks straight to set up the housing arrangements and clear it with the Ministry."

"Couldn't he have spent three weeks fixing the problem?" Draco asked with furrowed brows.

"In theory," Snape said, "He didn't tell anyone what happened. I don't think Minerva knows and she knows everything."

Blaise shifted, "If he's being so secretive it must be something really important."

"A new Chamber of Secrets?" Harry suggested.

"Maybe," Snape shrugged, "The only other clue is that Dumbledore spent all his extra time in a place called _Il Libria Sola._"

"The Sun Library," Draco translated, "The old Arcylian place on that island in the Mediterranean?"

Snape nodded.

"There must be a clue there," Harry said, "In what he was reading or researching."

Draco glared at a spot on the floor, "There's a huge section on Dark Magic, that's what the Library is famous for. He may be researching that."

"But _Il Libria_ also has a refutable section on Coraxian Protective Magic," Snape said.

"He's turning to Coraxian methods?" Blaise wrinkled his nose, "They may be good but they're incredibly primitive."

"The founders used Coraxian methods, maybe that's where the flaw is. He's trying to figure out how to fix it and the only way is to go back into the original spell work," Draco offered.

"Pause," Harry held up his hands. "What are the Coraxian methods?"

Snape sighed, "Corax Nize was a great general a century or two before Hogwarts was built. He developed a special type of shield and protective spells, very strong ones that depended on Runes, stones and a central wizard or "drain figure" to power them. That is part of being the Head Master of Hogwarts, you are the drain figure, the one the many protective spells feed from."

"Maybe that's the flaw," Draco's head snapped up, "Dumbledore's not strong enough anymore to supply the shield as much as they need. He's trying to find some loophole so that it can be someone, or something else."

"That would explain how three weeks wouldn't be enough to fix it."

"And his infatuation with _Il Libria Sola_," Blaise commented.

"Though, it could be that he thinks the warm, sea air will do him good in his old age," Ron offered.

"Nothing short of a reincarnation will do him good," Draco snarled.

"Not a fan?" Harry asked.

"Not since he called me a spoilt pureblood elitist in Third Year," Draco said.

Snape snorted, "He was angry after you called him a washed up old coot with a bad case of toe fungus and halitosis."

"After he told mum she was married to the worst man in the wizarding world, just after Voldemort himself."

"After you told him he couldn't teach dragons to growl and that no one appreciated having a zombie for a head master."

Draco rolled his eyes, "He wasn't invited to the Shyian Ball to begin with."

"The Head Master said all those things to you?"

"We have a volatile relationship, he and I," Draco shrugged.

"Volatile like a Longbottom Potion," Snape muttered, "If this is our working thesis we should to something to verify it."

"Contact _Il Libria_," Draco said, "I have a good working relationship with them, I'm sure they'd be willing to help. If not we can just take a day trip down and make them cooperate."

"You're not going anywhere," Snape stopped him, "I got a report from a Counselor saying you've been terrorizing some freshman boy."

Draco seemed to think very hard, "Ah yes, his name is David Kilk, Orlando's younger brother and I was _not_ terrorizing him. He approached me and I was my usual charming self."

Harry frowned, "Orlando has a younger brother?"

"Yes, he does," Draco nodded, "He's got black hair and eyes and he's real pale and got a funny shaped nose."

Harry remembered the kid, he was there on their first day when Draco made his grand appearance. He was the kid that looked ready to wet himself.

"Did he know you?"

"He said he met me once before," Draco admitted, "Something about polo game three years ago."

"You don't play polo," Blaise said.

"I know that," Draco answered, "He was following me so I gave him a death glare and a snarl and he ran off."

Snape shook his head, "These are muggles Draco, you can't do that sort of thing, they'll call the police and we'll end up living in Finland at some remote Zabini manor house."

"I hate Finland," Draco pouted.

"I love Finland," Blaise grinned, "So white."

Ron gave the other pureblood an odd look, "White?"

"Finland, Finland, Finland; that's the country for me!" Blaise was singing something.

"Shut up," Snape told him, "This is serious Draco, you cannot and I mean _cannot_ get in any more fights. The Ministry heard about your fight with the muggle girl and they're cracking down. They'll order an inquiry and that'll make things very difficult."

"Traditional fish slapping song," Blaise sang and Draco immediately kicked his shoe into his hands and hucked it at the Italian. It collided with the side of his head and Blaise yelped in surprise. "Merlin, what was that for?"

"You are not to sing show-tunes while we're having a proper discussion."

"I can sing any thing I want any time I want," Blaise retorted

"Back to the point," Snape stopped them, "Draco, do you understand?"

Draco nodded, "I promise I'll avoid fights at any cost to my personal pride." He picked up Vireo as the puppy wandered in. "We won't fight, will we Vi?"

The puppy yipped happy and curled up on his lap to bask in adoration.

Snape seemed appeased, "We'll contact _Il Libria_ in the morning…don't you all have homework?"

The four boys groaned but then Ron remembered he was doing his homework and he pointed this out. Snape observed the painting, "That is not work, that is vomit on canvas."

Ron stuck out his tongue after Snape turned to leave, "Next time you do that Mr. Weasley I'll cut your tongue off." Ron closed his mouth immediately and turned back to his painting.

Snape left the boys alone and wandered back downstairs. He paused in the hallway as he heard the voices of the two adults.

"I hate them all," Vernon snarled from his easy chair.

Petunia nodded, "They're so troublesome," she added. She was standing at the sink washing dishes.

"And the neighbors will start asking questions about all these ruddy owls and where we have room for five boys to live in the house."

"And why are they living here and who is that creepy fellow who keeps coming around."

"And all that," Vernon stopped her ramblings, "I don't like it one bit."

Petunia nodded, "You know Mrs. Usher from Number Seven asked about them the other day while I was watering the hydrangea? She asked who those three new boys were and where they came from. What was I supposed to say?"

"What did you say?" Vernon asked tightly.

"I told her they were foreign exchange students and we were reaching out to show underprivileged boys how nice life could be."

Vernon nodded, "Good."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"She walked of to talk to Mrs. Carter from Number Nine, I just know they were talking about us," Petunia began scrubbing a dish extra hard.

"We must do something to stop all this gossip," Vernon set his newspaper aside.

Petunia stopped cleaning and turned to her husband, "What were you thinking dear?"

"I haven't a clue," he admitted, "Doesn't the Carter girl…Natalie, go to Stonewall?"

Petunia nodded, "She's a Junior this year, just like them."

Vernon frowned, "Hmm, I can't imagine she knows or likes them."

"Who could like those little freaks?"

Snape snarled and left the house, making sure to slam the door as he went. Petunia and Vernon looked up at the door leading from the kitchen to the hallway. They both filled with dread as they heard the Porsche purr to life.

Severus left the house just in time to see a silver and magenta haired girl leap from a second story window into a crushed looking lavender bush. He nearly smiled at the image and drove away.

His place was no more than five minutes from Number Four, it was over on Elm Shire Road, a private road with smaller, cottage style homes. The lawn was a dark green, kept alive by an automatic watering spell. The rose bushes beneath the front window and the creeping ivy up the walls were watered the same way. They were kept trimmed and tidy and the windows were usually covered by the dark green drapes. Inside it was no fancier than on the outside, mostly dark woods with green.

Snape pulled into the driveway, got out and pulled the paper from under the front tire. He straightened up, examined the front page through the plastic wrap and then waved to the neighbor standing on his lawn with a warm mug of coffee.

"Morning Alan," he nodded.

"Morning Severus," the balding man smiled, "A woman came by earlier looking for you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Alan walked to the short fence that parted the properties, "Said her name was Nymph Tonks, she was quite the nymph if you know what I mean," he grinned.

"Ah," Snape nodded and forced a chuckle, as any muggle male would, "Yes, she's quite the woman. Did she say what she what she wanted?"

Alan thought, "Well, she was standing there screaming at your door for a good five minutes before I came out to see what the racket was, Greg and Mike came out too. She muttered something about 'bleeding old coots and their cauldrons' before she said anything about her name. She said that when you came back you ought to ring her."

Snape nodded, eyes scanning the paper after he removed it from the bag, "Thanks Alan."

"Any time Severus," he smiled and raised his mug in a good-bye and walked back to stand in the middle of his yard.

Severus went to the door and unlocked it. Inside he could smell burnt toast and tea.

"Hello Tonks," he said without even looking up.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Alan told me you came by," he explained and raised his head to see her sitting in the arm chair by the fire.

"Oh," she sipped her tea, "Where were you?"

"With the boys," he answered, "They got a message and we were brainstorming ideas about what it meant."

"What did it say?"

"_There's a reason you're gone. Find your reason, find your ending._" He repeated.

"Hermione wrote me to say she got one too."

"The same message?"

Tonks nodded, "She wanted to write to Dumbledore but the owl came back, couldn't find him."

Snape nodded, "It's been that way for three or four days now. I tried to floo to Hogwarts yesterday but something blocked it. Apparation to the gates is blocked too, I found myself in the middle of Hogsmeade and the castle was shielded from view."

Tonks sipped her tea, "I'm really worried."

Snape sat down and sighed, "We came up with a few ideas about what's going on."

She set her tea aside and picked up a roll of parchment and a quill, "I'll take notes."

* * *

**OH MY GOD! I feel so horrible for putting this story on hold for so long. This is happening and I feel so bad about it. I like this story, I do, I hit a massive block and I finally worked through it and I hope you like it and you don't hate me too much. I may hit another one, I may not, it IS Friday so I have the weekend to work on another chapter and maybe I'll get that up. **

**If you still like this story, please review it!**

**It helps me generate ideas.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm  
AGAIN, I'm SOOOOO sorry, I love you and...yeah...sorry.**


	19. Mothers and Others

Vireo sat up suddenly from Draco's lap and went prancing out of the lounge down the hall and barked at the door. The boys walked slowly over and opened the door.

Natalie, Jack, Dutch and Clo all stood there looking at each other confusedly.

"This house is incredibly easy to break into," Clo told them.

"Hey," Harry grinned, "Nice to see you too."

"I think you should be aware of the weaknesses of the facility in which you reside," Clo said and slid past them into their Hogwarts Quarters.

"This is a nice pad," Jack nodded, his arm around Natalie and they slid through as well.

Dutch grinned, "Woah, shit that's a nice room," he peeked into Blaise's room. The walls were painted with scenes from ancient, Greek mythology and the floor was a large spiral mosaic under a blue painted ceiling with gold inlay and detail.

"That's mine," Blaise smiled.

"Didn't it used to be really different?" Harry asked in a whisper.

Draco nodded, "He likes variety."

"Oh," Harry nodded and their friends checked out Ron and Harry's rooms.

"Classic and cozy," Dutch and Jack and Clo nodded approval.

They reached Draco's room and pushed open the heavy mahogany door.

"Christ," Jack's jaw slackened.

The floor was white, broken by dark green rugs and honey colored wood furniture. The bed was decked out in dark green covers and an array of pillows. A window showed the foggy Surrey day behind the house.

"Didn't your room used to be different too?" Harry asked Draco.

"I like variety," Draco shrugged and smirked.

"This house is massive," Clo wandered farther into Draco's room.

"It's a lot bigger than it looks," Blaise agreed, slightly nervous. He and Draco exchanged a look and then turned to Harry.

"Why are you all here?" Harry asked, "Not that we don't want you here, it's just…you know."

"Oh," Clo nodded, "We're playing again tonight, you should come."

"Just at the Running?" Ron asked.

"Same place," Clo nodded, "Danni and Jason are heckling for better pay."

"You'll never get it," Natalie warned, "I've been working there since I turned sixteen and I'm still getting paid ten pounds an hour to serve liquor to sweaty old men from the industrial district and underage kids on X with pegged pants."

"You have more patience than they," Jack assured her, "Oh Goddess of good."

She wrinkled her nose, "Don't turn into a sissy on me."

"See, I would be happy with one such compliment," Draco said and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh God, don't you start in on that couples shit too," Clo nearly screamed, "I have to be around Dutch-Boy and Jason, Nat and Jack and they're all 'oh, I love you soooo much.'" Clo did a whiny, nasal voice to impersonate the couples, "And if you do it too I'm leaving right now and I'll put a mic stand up your urethra when you come tonight."

Harry laughed, "I was just going to call him ridiculous and smack him."

Clo nodded, "I approve."

Draco pouted, "I do not."

"Oh, I love you soooo much," Dutch and Jack imitated Clo's impression.

Clo felt his eye twitch, "Mic stand," he repeated and they dissolved into laughter.

"Severus?" Tonks stopped writing. Snape had fallen silent, eyes focused somewhere else.

"What ever happened to your mother?"

"My mother?" Tonks frowned, "She's living in York with dad, why?"

"How is she?"

"Fine, I spoke to her yesterday…why?"

"Is she still working?"

"Yes, why?"

"Shut up Nymphadora," he snapped and stood. He went to the fire and called on the Tonks residence.

"Yes?" her mother's head appeared, "Oh Merlin, Severus, what's going on?"

"Come over." He commanded and with a frown and a whooshing sound Andromeda Tonks appeared.

She was only a little older than Snape, curling blonde hair, wide blue eyes and a smiling mouth. "What? Oh, hello Nymphadoa, what is happening?"

"Dumbledore is missing and Snape's being weird," she replied.

Her mother nodded, "Severus?"

"You know a woman who works at _Il Libria Sola_, right?"

"Margo Mortas, yes."

"I need to contact her," Snape said.

"Margo's an illusive woman; you'll have to go to _Il Libria_ if you want to speak with her."

"I can't, I have to be here to protect the boys. Annie, please," he stared straight into her eyes and they exchanged some silent conversation.

"Dammit Sev," she shook her head, "I'll try, what's going on, I want to know."

"Dumbledore is spending a lot of time there, we want to know," Snape explained everything to her.

Andromeda nodded, "I'll make a trip down the afternoon and write you."

"Thank-you."

"Welcome," Caleb, the owner of the Running, was on stage, holding the mic and smirking, "I know you're all quite excited to see JSE."

Draco sat on the bar chatting with Natalie and smoking a Magic Black.

Harry and Ron were with Jack and Dutch near the stage, drinking Guinness and sharing a pair of cigarettes.

Clo took the stage, adjusted his junk and took hold of the mic, "I told my friends that if they got all cutesy and love-y I would put this mic stand in a very painful place. They have respected my threat and now I can use the mic."

The crowd roared with laughter and moved to form a pit as the music thundered into life.

Harry, Ron, Jack and Dutch shared a laugh.

"Fuck," Ron turned around suddenly, "Where's Blaise?"

"Shit," Jack scanned the odd, thrashing amoeba of a mosh pit.

"There," Dutch pointed to the door. A tall, darkly colored Italian entered.

"Dammit Blaise," Ron moved over and took him by the hand. Blaise had the decency to look a little ashamed of himself for sneaking off. Once Ron gave him a little kiss he brightened up and they returned to the other three, Blaise nearly skipping.

"Where'd you go?" Jack asked, eyebrows rising.

Blaise shrugged, "I got a call," he said.

Harry was immediately suspicious and glanced at Ron. "What's he mean?" he mouthed.

Ron motioned for Harry and they took a few steps away. "Snape sent an owl. His associate has a contact in _Il Libria_ and she'll write him tonight so we don't have to worry about it. Tonks is coming to visit tomorrow and make us breakfast while the Durselys are away."

Harry nodded, "Did Snape say anything else?"

"Not that Blaise told me," he cast his eyes back and saw Blaise wandering towards Draco.

Draco spotted his friends, slid from the bar and they entered into a seemingly serious conversation. Harry spotted them too and the friends exchanged a look.

"Seduce more information from them," Ron suggested.

"Or ask, it's their safety as well as ours."

"We could do that," Ron admitted and broke into laughter.

"It's not nearly as fun," Harry relented and Ron's eyebrows rose.

"What would you prefer?"

"I always need an excuse," Harry walked towards Draco and spun him away from Blaise as a slow song came up.

"Dance with me," he smiled at the blonde.

"Apparently I have no choice," Draco let himself follow the lion in a slow, casual waltz.

"Having fun?"

"More so than I would at school," Draco answered.

"What were you and Blaise talking about?"

"Severus called in Tonk's mum, she's going to _Il Libria_ so we don't have to make the pilgrimage and she'll write us tonight. Tonks is coming tomorrow to make breakfast."

"I knew that."

"Then why did you ask?"

"You and Blaise, just now, what were you on about?"

"Nothing important."

"Looked important."

"It was not."

"Must have been."

"Wasn't."

"Please?"

"Nothing we're ready to reveal," Draco spun and pressed against the lion. "Now stop talking and kiss me."

"With pleasure," Harry leaned over and kissed him.

Draco slid his tongue out and into Harry's mouth, meeting another tongue and they slid over one another. They forgot about dancing and lost interest in everything but each other.

"No decency," Blaise tsked loudly from the bar where he was leaning his back to Ron's chest. The red-head's hands slid to his hips.

"Jealous?"

"Dai-" his words died as lips began to tease his very sensitive neck. The Italian slumped against him and gave a little moan. He stubbed out his cigarette, whirled around and kissed the other boy.

* * *

**I know it's short but it's there and now the blockage is back. I'm so sorry about all this, I just...yes, well, I hope I find the inspiration again soon because you all seem to love this story and I do too. I cannot thank-you enough for not coming after me with pitchforks and torches. **

**I really hope this summer brings good chapters from this and all my stories.**

**THANK YOU ALL!**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


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